QUESTIONNAIRE
Candidate's Name: Peggy Feltmate
Candidate's Ward: 4 - Kanata

Section A: OTTAWA POLICE SERVICES BOARD (PSB)

1a) What is your understanding of the role of the Ottawa Police Services Board (PSB)?
The role of the Ottawa Police Services Board is to provide civilian control over the police service.
1b) If elected, will you seek to be appointed as one of the three City Council representatives?
While I am not currently planning to seek one of the council positions on the Ottawa Police Services Board, my intention would be to support candidates who recognize that for the police to be effective, the police must have the trust of the community.
1c) If so, why would you be particularly appropriate for this appointment?

2. Do you believe that the PSB has to date improved public trust in the police service by providing effective civilian oversight, thus assuring the community of appropriate police behaviour? Why or why not?

Based on what I have been hearing on doorsteps most people are not even aware of the existence of the Ottawa Police Services Board - the assumption is often that the council has direct control over the police service. With this in mind, there is room for improvement.

3. What policies should the PSB introduce or update concerning the policing of major events, and why?
As mentioned in question 13, the move to establish the Major Events Liaison Team was a step forward. Having officers permanently assigned to this team would provide an opportunity to build working relationships and trust between event organizers and the police. At a minimum, trying to make officers' assignment to the team long-term makes sense.

4. In the spirit of transparency and openness related to public business, would you support:

(a) posting the records of the proceedings of the PSB on the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) Web site?
(b) Or should the PSB have its own website and the PSB proceedings be posted there?

Minutes of the Ottawa Police Services Board are already posted on the City of Ottawa site. Because, based on what I have been hearing at the doorstep, most people make the assumption that the city has direct control over the police, I support continuing to post the minutes there.
Section B: POLICY CONCERNS WITH THE PSB

5. In May 2002, the Citizen Panel on Policing and the Community made recommendations concerning aggressive police behaviour toward peaceful G-20 demonstrators in November 2001. According to the Ottawa Police Service's Agenda for Excellence, released in April 2002, the stated objectives of the OPS are:
  1. In your opinion, has the policing of major events since the November 2001 G-20 demonstrations improved?
(b) If not, what needs to be done?
For me to answer parts (a) and (b) fairly and accurately, I would have had to have been at both the November 20, 2002 demonstrations and at least some subsequent demonstrations.
(c) What should be the role of the PSB?
With respect to the role of the Police Services Board, I feel they should be encouraging the police to work co-operatively with protest organizers wherever possible.
(d) If appointed to the PSB, how will you help?

6. Ontario regulations from 1997 make this the only province in Canada to NOT allow third party complaints about police behaviour, i.e. a witness to police wrongdoing cannot file a complaint with the PSB. Ontario regulations from 1997 also put the complaints process entirely in the hands of the police (investigation, hearings, adjudication). This is a clear conflict of interest. The City of Toronto Auditor has been very critical of this situation. Will you push to have the Ontario Minister of Public Safety and Security recognize the need:

(a) for an independent review of complaints against the police?
(b) to allow complaints to be filed by witnesses and others?
While I support bringing Ontario's regulations into line with the rest of Canada, as your message makes clear it is the provincial government that has the power to change the regulations. With that in mind, I would hope the focus of pressure on this issue will be Members of Provincial Parliament.

7. More than 200 complaints were made to the PSB in 2002 concerning alleged police misconduct in Ottawa. The Board found that less than 5% were substantiated.

(a) Do you believe this percentage is valid?
Without hearing the complaints and seeing the evidence, I would not want to say whether the percentage of complaints that were sustained is reasonable. However, it does point to the need for an independent review process.
(b) If no, will you work to establish an effective, independent and responsive complaints process here in Ottawa?

8. Pepper spray and tasers have potentially lethal effects. Amnesty International has expressed concerns about their use. As a member of City Council and possible member of the PSB, would you support:

(a) making public the guidelines for the use of either of these weapons? Why or why not?
As of part of the police being accountable to the community, guidelines for the use of force, including pepper spray and tasers should be made public.
(b) changing the policy to eliminate use of these weapons by police? Why or why not?

9(a) Do you think that the media sensationalize protest activities and downplay the value of public expression of views in maintaining our democracy?
The media are looking for a juicy story. If a small group of protestors give them one by announcing that they will use violence or destroy property, then the media will focus on those protestors to the exclusion of other far more valid points of view.
(b) If so, in what ways can City Council contribute to a balanced perception by citizens of the rights of those who wish to express dissent in public places?
What councillors can do to help counter this is work with protestors who are committed to expressing themselves peacefully and without the destruction of property.

10. The Ottawa police are increasingly videotaping citizens involved in or near demonstrations, possibly violating privacy rights.

(a) Do you agree with this? If so, why?
There may be occasions when videotaping a demonstration can be justified. However, there do need to be guidelines for the use of video tapes collected at demonstrations. It is one thing to use video taping as a means of collecting evidence. It is another to use it as a way of harassing people at a legal protest. I would be very cautious in my approach to this suggestion.
(b) If you do not agree with this, would you support the PSB, as part of its oversight responsibility, in discouraging the use of intimidating and indiscriminate taping of citizens?

11. The OPS has said that video shot of peaceful demonstrators, not needed for any criminal prosecution, is destroyed afterward. Would you support the PSB requiring a periodic report from the OPS confirming that this destruction of the images has been done within a specified timeframe?

There may be occasions when videotaping a demonstration can be justified. However, there do need to be guidelines for the use of video tapes collected at demonstrations. It is one thing to use video taping as a means of collecting evidence. It is another to use it as a way of harassing people at a legal protest. I would be very cautious in my approach to this suggestion.

Section C. AGENDA FOR EXCELLENCE (AFX) FOR POLICING MAJOR EVENTS

12. Since the Agenda for Excellence was released as a draft document in April 2002, nothing appears to have been done to finalize the document as policy for the Ottawa Police Service. Since the PSB is responsible for establishing policing policy, whether you are on City Council or on the PSB itself, would you support setting a short deadline for having the very good principles and guidelines in the AFX incorporated as policy for the OPS?

I would support city council pushing for the rapid implementation of the Agenda for Excellence. However, with the provincial government appointing a majority of the Police Service Board members, Council's ability is limited.

13. The Major Events Liaison Team (MELT) unit was created as part of the AFX, and intended to work on improving communications between police and protestors at major events so as to defuse dangerous situations. Initially they appeared to have some success in this role. However they were not present at significant later events where violence has taken place (e.g., eviction of protestors from 246 Gilmour Street in July 2002, Algerian refugees and their supporters tasered at Minister of Immigration's office in May 2003).

(a) Would you be willing to find out more about the status of this unit and support its increased use as per its original mandate?
(b) As the MELT members are only on assignment to this group and the funding is unclear, would you push for the MELT unit to be made a permanent part of the OPS structure, i.e. with a budget and one or more permanent positions?

The move to establish the Major Events Liaison Team was a step forward. Having officers permanently assigned to this team would provide an opportunity to build working relationships and trust between event organizers and the police. At a minimum, trying to make officers' assignment to the team long-term makes sense.