The organizers would like to thank the staff of Saint Paul University for their help – especially Josée Lajoie [Student Services] and Stephan Bilodeau [Cafeteria] – and for the use of rooms at the University.

Friday evening October 3^rd

Registration: 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the Atrium (first floor)

Light dinner served until 6:45

Key-note Speakers in the Amphitheatre (first floor, off the Parking Lot)

7:00 p.m. Judy Rebick, media commentator, founder of www.rabble.ca
"Democracy, freedom of expression and the police"
Do we really need the police to protect rights to dissent? Can the police strike a reasonable balance between protecting property and rights? Making the people’s voice heard in how we are policed.

7:20 p.m. John Sewell, former Mayor of Toronto, founder of the Police Accountability Coalition
"Politics, the police and accountability to the community"
Does the civilian authority really decide police policy? To what extent are police answerable to the civilian authority under the current laws in Ontario? Discussion of the Toronto experience, and perspective on change for the future.

7:40 p.m. John Baglow, writer and former Executive Vice-President of the Public Service Alliance of Canada
"Protecting the public space for free expression"
Is the public space ceasing to be "public"? How are police policies and practices encouraging or discouraging free expression? The role and experience of the Ottawa Witness Group in auditing the police.

Saturday morning, October 4

Registration: 8:00 to 8:45 a.m. – Auditorium; second floor; enter from the main entrance to the University off Main Street

Refreshments available

9:00 a.m. first panel -- frameworks

Michael Swinwood, lawyer and aboriginal issues worker, founder of Elders without Borders
"Legal issues bearing on policing, dissent and the relationship of police and community"
What principles are important in understanding rights, limits on use of police authority, and how police balance rights of property and free expression?

Doug Kirkland, former labour relations liaison officer with the Ottawa Police Service
"Experience in developing understandings between police and labour: the picket line"
What lessons can be learned from the experience of the Ottawa Police Service from labour liaison in relation to work actions by labour?

Jake Rupert, court reporter with the Ottawa Citizen
"The media and policing: the factors at play in covering stories"
How does the print media find its stories about policing and justice issues generally? What lessons can we draw from how the media work?

Paul Durber, writer and former Director of Pay Equity with the Canadian Human Rights Commission
"Summarizing the Audit Report on police complaints processes, Toronto Police Service"
What are the findings of the Audit, and are they useful in seeking more effective investigation of complaints and police accountability generally?

Audio discussion: extract from CBC Radio program "The Current" on policing and community
What are the key issues, in the view of the three participants in the radio discussion, for better police accountability?

11:00 a.m. FOCUS GROUPS, Auditorium & rooms 202, 201, 50 and 15

Your views: based on key-note speakers and morning panel, a series of debates in groups, aiming to report on Saturday afternoon on:

• your views,
• differences
• opportunities
• consensus

1. Political framework and action
"What are the key political factors in setting policing policy and action?" What are the opportunities for influencing political decisions?

2. The law and policing
"Do policy & practice strike the right balance between property and dissent?" How can rights be more prominently featured in policing, in light of the law?

3. The media & accountability
"Do the media help inform the public and make policing more transparent? How can media reporting play a stronger role in holding police to account for their policy and practice?

4. Policing and community links:
What improvements should be made in institutions like the police services boards, complaints procedures, to improve police accountability?" What are the shortcomings and opportunities for better oversight of the police?

5. Experiences with policing dissent:

"Where are the problems and the opportunities?" What is being done right? Where should the improvements be made?

LUNCH in the cafeteria (tickets available for $5) – time for socializing and energizing

Saturday afternoon, October 4

1:15 to 2:15 p.m. Reports from focus groups. In the Auditorium

Five groups take 10 minutes each to report on highlights of their discussions, covering

• your views,
• differences
• opportunities
• consensus

2:35 to 4:00 p.m. second panel – experiences & best practices

Brian Edgecombe, Homes not Bombs, legal activist
"Expressing dissent – coordinating mass expression, with or without the police: what practices can be expected from police?"
What models does this activist have in mind when imagining how police should relate to demonstrators? What alternatives does he believe should be put in place?

Neeam Saloojee, Director of Operations, Council on American-Islamic Relations Canada
"The experience of Muslims with policing in Ottawa: what is the direction that CAIR has taken with police, and what have the results been?"
Can the model of sensitizing police to a community’s culture and needs be of value when looking at police accountability?

Jane Scharfe, advocate for the homeless in Ottawa
"The homeless dissent – experience with civic and police authorities: What lessons does this activist take from the experience?"
How clear is the legal framework within which the protest operated? How transparent is the role of the police in relation to the protesters, and do police protect or harm their rights?

Alex Cullen,Councillor, City of Ottawa)
"Are current oversight institutions sufficient for directing the policy and practice of policing?"
How should the Police Services Board be improved? What powers and roles should it have? How do PSBs balance rights of dissenters with other objectives of policing?

4:00 to 5:00 p.m. questions and discussion in plenary, in the Auditorium

A facilitated, open-mike discussion of policing – experiences, strategies and views generally. Questions for panelists able to remain for the session.

What has characterized presentations and discussions – diversity, agreements, action needs, themes.

The action planning for Sunday

6:00 to 9:00 p.m. DINNER in the cafeteria (tickets available for $5) – time for socializing and energizing

Sunday morning, October 5

8:30 to 9:00 a.m. Registration outside the Auditorium –

Refreshments served

9:00 to 9:45 a.m. panel, organizing and planning

Panelists from various cities

The experiences with organizing to improve police accountability. What stage are organizing efforts at in these cities? What have the results been to date?

Where organizing is beginning, what are the aspirations and obstacles? What challenges are perceived in auditing the police?

10:00 – 11:00 a.m. FOCUS GROUPS, Auditorium & rooms 202, 201, 50 and 15

Three focus groups look at the following questions:

1. The framework for policing
What does the practical/ideal model for policing look like?

2. Community & policing
What organization is best suited for ensuring police respect for the rights to dissent?

3. Elements in accountability – information & media
What actions can make policing more transparent? What role should the media play in ensuring transparency?

11:15 – noon Reports from focus groups. In the Auditorium

12:00 – 12:30 CLOSING SESSION, consensus building, noting diversity of views, promising plans of action – communication, organization, education
 

 

organizing committee members	hospitality and registration
John Baglow	Nick Aplin                                        Jane Britten
Elizabeth Ballard	Deb Byrnes                                      Paul Fox
Paul Durber	Katherine Gunn (web site)                 Jan Heynan
Nancy Lauder	Rosalie Reynolds (Bulletin, poster)     Bill Senn
Aileen Leo (publicity)	Bob Stevenson                                 Linda Stevenson
Marianne McKinnon
Mark Seebaran
Bob Thomson