Inner-city activist Leslie Spillett removed from Winnipeg Police Board

The Pallister government has revoked the membership of two appointees to Winnipeg's police board.

In an order in council dated July 6, the province removed inner-city activist Leslie Spillett and retired school principal Angeline Ramkissoon from the board.

They've been replaced by former Conservative candidate Allie Szarkiewicz and businessman Larry Licharson.

Szarkiewicz ran federally in Winnipeg Centre in 2015 and provincially in Logan this year.

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Spillett said in a statement that she understands board changes are the prerogative of a new government, and she was honoured to be a member of the police board.

She nonetheless expressed disappointment she was not informed of the decision directly.

"I found out on Facebook," she said. "Winnipeg was the last major city in Canada that did not have civilian governance and the community, and in particular the Indigenous community, had long advocated for civilian oversight of Winnipeg's police service. I believe that my appointment gave many in Winnipeg's Indigenous community … confidence that its voice would be reflected in [the] decision making processes."

Spillett regrets missing chief's hiring

Spillett said during her three-year term, she was happy to be able to share experiences that helped shape a strategic plan for the police service that included an Indigenous advisory circle.

"As [an] Indigenous person in Winnipeg, I am always concerned when the voices and perspectives of Indigenous people are diminished or excluded in these processes and I think that is unfortunate that is the case with the WPB," she said.

"In this era of reconciliation, I would think that governments, irrespective of political stripe, would be working hard to engage and include Indigenous individuals. Without our voices, the solutions have not worked — this is so evident throughout the entire history of this country."

Spillett also said she has nothing but respect for the members of the police board, and she regrets not being able to take part in the hiring of a new police chief to replace the departed Devon Clunis.

In a statement, Justice Minister Heather Stefanson thanked Spillett and Ramkissoon for their service but did not mention them by name.

'Tremendous responsibility'

"Serving on the board of the Winnipeg Police Service is a tremendous responsibility and one that will be carried out with integrity by the new provincial appointees," Stefanson said in the statement.

Licharson "brings a wealth of business acumen" to the board as the owner several businesses, she said. He has served on several boards, including the Manitoba Aids Shelter Foundation and Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre, she said.

Szarkiewicz has "vast experience" as an educator and her board experience includes the Patient and Family Advisory Council for Grace General Hospital and the Assiniboine Library Advisory Council, Stefanson said.

St. James-Brooklands Coun. Scott Gillingham, who chairs the police board, said he learned of the changes Tuesday night. He said he surmised a change would come after the Progressive Conservatives won the provincial election in April.

Gillingham said Spillett and Ramkissoon made "great contributions" as founding members of the police board and he appreciated their work. He also said he looked forward to working with Licharson and Szarkiewicz.

'Failed PC candidate'

Asked about the reduced Indigenous presence on the board, Gillingham noted the creation of the Indigenous advisory council and noted the Pallister government is free to choose whomever it likes to fill two provincial positions on the police board.

NDP MLA Nahanni Fontaine (St. Johns) said she found the replacement of Spillett "with a failed PC candidate" highly problematic.

Nahanni Fontaine on the removal of Leslie Spillett from the WPB

8 years ago

Duration 1:16

An Indigenous activist says she found out through social media she'd been dumped from the Winnipeg Police Board. Leslie Spillett says the Pallister Tory government didn't give her the courtesy of notifying her it was revoking her appointment.

"So my concern is then what happens to that Indigenous advisory committee now? Will they still establish it and honour it and have that working relationship with that? 

Earlier, fellow NDP MLA Wab Kinew (Fort Rouge) expressed his disappointment on Twitter.