Ottawa City Council ousts Diane Deans as police council chair

The Ottawa City Council voted to oust the Councilor Diane Deans serve as the chairman of the local police service council among the so-called “Free convoy” Protests have occupied much of downtown Ottawa for weeks.

Wednesday’s move follows a report that the Mayor of Ottawa Jim Watson is seeking to replace Deans as chair of the council that manages the police service at a special meeting of the city council to address the ongoing blockade downtown, according to Deans’ office.

A spokeswoman for Deans, a city councilmember who plans to run for mayor later this year, confirmed a CBC News report that she was called into Watson’s office Wednesday and asked from the office. resigned from her leadership role at the police service, but she refused.

The councilors who voted to remove her said they were concerned after learning the board had agreed to hire a new interim head to support senior command at the Ottawa Police Department without the need consultation process.

They also argue that the board is ineffective in overseeing Ottawa police, who have faced heavy criticism for their inaction during ongoing protests in the city.

Somerset Coun. Catherine McKenney announced in a tweet Wednesday that Watson is seeking to be appointed chair of the board at the board.

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Global News has reached out to Watson’s office for comment on the allegations and has not received a response at the time of publication.

The move comes after Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly stepped down on Tuesday.

Wednesday marks 20 days since the so-called “Liberal Mission” began stationing in downtown Ottawa.

Watson had previously established a “reverse channel arrangement” with convoy organizers to remove trucks from residential streets and park them on Wellington Street near Parliament, where many also live.

Meanwhile, Vice President Sandy Smallwood and Councilmember Rawlson King resigned on the board Wednesday.

– with files from the Canadian Press