City council delays decision on removing councillors from Edmonton Police Commission
City council wants more information on the role of councillors on the Edmonton Police Commission.
Two city councillors currently sit as commissioners on the public oversight body.
The commission, which acts as a middle-man of sorts between city council and the Edmonton Police Service (EPS), is asking city council to remove them in favour of two more members of the public.
It is responsible for overseeing policing, creating policies that guide the police service's objectives and allocating the $420-million annual budget for EPS.
A recent governance review done by a third party recommends the councillors be removed from the commission and replaced with two more Edmontonians.
Thirteen people, all appointed by city council, sit on the commission, including 11 unelected citizens from various walks of life and two city councillors, Anne Stevenson and Jo-Anne Wright.
In the end, council voted to delay the decision. It will likely revisit the idea of removing councillors from the commission next fall after the municipal election.
John McDougall, chairman of the police commission, said Tuesday the delay will not impact the body's work.
"There is nothing that changes," he said Tuesday.
"We've always been engaged with the councillor commissioners, we value the input that they have, we work together as a team, whether you're a provincial appointee, whether you're a municipal appointee, whether you're a city councillor, we work as one team to ensure that we can provide a safer city for all Edmontonians."
Among other findings, the review found there is a power imbalance for councillors on the commission. It says they are better known by the public than other commissioners, so their opinions carry more weight.
Wright has argued that councillors are well-positioned to represent the views of the public given the feedback they receive on policing from meetings, calls and emails.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Nanos survey says most Canadians support expansion of Old Age Security benefits, but economic experts call it 'terrible policy'
Amid new polling indicating most Canadians support boosting Old Age Security benefits by 10 per cent for seniors aged 65 to 74, a former Liberal finance minister and former Bank of Canada governor are warning the government not to pursue the policy change.
'You were innocent': Judge acquits Manitoba man 50 years after murder conviction
A Manitoba man convicted of murder 50 years ago has been acquitted. Clarence Woodhouse was found guilty in 1974 of fatally beating and stabbing a restaurant worker in downtown Winnipeg.
Health official confirms death of Ontario child following rabies diagnosis
An Ontario child has died after coming in contact with a rabid bat, a health official confirmed on Wednesday.
Los Angeles prosecutors to review new evidence in Menendez brothers' 1996 murder conviction
Prosecutors in Los Angeles are reviewing new evidence in the case of Erik and Lyle Menendez to determine whether they should be serving life sentences for killing their parents in their Beverly Hills mansion more than 35 years ago, the city's district attorney said Thursday.
Garth Brooks accused of rape in lawsuit from hair-and-makeup artist
A woman who says she worked as a hair-and-makeup stylist for Garth Brooks alleged in a lawsuit filed Thursday that he raped her in a Los Angeles hotel in 2019.
Melania Trump says she supports abortion rights, putting her at odds with the GOP
Melania Trump revealed her support for abortion rights Thursday ahead of the release of her upcoming memoir, exposing a stark contrast with her husband, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, on the crucial election issue.
Parliament 'ground to a halt' over Conservative allegations of Liberal corruption
Government business has been put on indefinite pause in the House of Commons and the Conservatives say it will stay that way until the Liberals hand over documents related to misspent government dollars.
Breast cancer patient says she had to lie to get a mammogram in Ontario
When an Ontario doctor refused to sign off on a mammogram for 38-year-old Sidra Lone, the mother of four says she was left with no choice but to lie.
184 passengers and crew evacuated as Ryanair Boeing plane catches fire on runway in Italy
More than 180 people were evacuated Thursday from a Ryanair Boeing passenger jet after it caught fire while taxiing to take off at Brindisi Airport in southern Italy.