A need for ‘cultural competency’ training

Provincial agency’s response to conduct allegations irks complainants

After months of silence, a provincial oversight agency has finally decided it won’t investigate a tangled series of conduct allegations against members of the Hamilton police board.

However, the Ontario Civilian Police Commission (OCPC) recommends all members of the police board undergo regular “cultural competency and sensitivity” training.

OCPC also suggests regular code of conduct coaching so in the future the board can handle these types of issues “internally and more proactively.”

Declining to comment on the ruling until he gets direction from the board, chair Lloyd Ferguson says he expects to make an official statement after Thursday’s board meeting.

Until then, the Ancaster councillor notes members are open to extra training. “We’re always willing to learn and become better board members.”

By the look of things, they’ve got some serious cramming to do.

The long-awaited OCPC decision caps some 10 months of distracting allegations and internal squabbling at the sevenmember civilian board, which governs Hamilton’s police services and oversees its $157-million operating budget.

OCPC was responding to requests from both the board and the Canadian Polish Congress to review conduct complaints against three board members — Ferguson, vice chair Madeleine Levy, and city appointee Walt Juchniewicz.

The issues are interconnected and convoluted. They stem from an allegation that during a break at a board meeting last December Levy commented that “Poles killed Jews in Auschwitz,” a reference to the infamous Nazi death camp in occupied Second World War Poland.

The Polish-born Juchniewicz publicly revealed Levy’s alleged comment in an email to city councillors and the city manager. He sent the email in response to what he claimed was Ferguson’s attempt to “mute” his complaint against Levy’s “personal, disrespectful and racist statement.”

Though anti-Semitism was common, to a greater and lesser extent, throughout pre-war Europe, the Polish community is extremely sensitive to the false claim Poles participated in the Nazi genocide.

Levy expressed “regret” to Juchniewicz in a Jan. 4 letter but neither he nor the Polish community believe it constituted a genuine apology. Ferguson denied he tried to suppress the matter and later noted that Levy, a Holocaust educator, insisted she didn’t say “Auschwitz.”

At any rate, after Juchniewicz’s email went public, Ferguson accused him of violating board governance rules. In February, the board asked OCPC to review all the allegations.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Polish Congress waded into the issue. In June it filed an OCPC complaint against Ferguson, accusing him of lack of leadership and making “slanderous” comments against Juchniewicz.

OCPC finally responded to the congress in an Oct. 12 letter from executive chair Linda Lamoureux, a copy of which was obtained by The Spectator.

Regarding the allegation against Levy, OCPC says, “The Commission’s view is that, regardless of what was actually said, these types of comments are wholly out of place for a public official while conducting public business, but they did not warrant a formal investigation by the Commission.”

Regarding the allegation against Juchniewicz, “The Commission has advised the board that this was inappropriate and demonstrated disrespect for the board’s processes, but again this did not warrant an investigation.”

As for the complaint against Ferguson, OCPC says the board could have made better efforts to address the Polish community’s concerns but “the issues you raise in your letter are not matters of misconduct.”

Lamoureux concludes there’s now no reason why Ferguson and other board members can’t meet with the congress to discuss their concerns. An earlier proposed meeting was put off pending OCPC’s decision.

Ferguson says he intends to reach out “to clear the air” with the Polish community after Thursday’s meeting. But don’t get the impression the case is closed.

Canadian Polish Congress president Wladyslaw Lizon says he’s happy to meet with Ferguson and Levy. But as far as he and others are concerned, this isn’t over. They’re not only still looking for a full apology from Levy, they’re now pressing their frustrations with the “incompetence” and “inefficient response” of both the police board and OCPC into the hands of government and opposition politicians at Queen’s Park.

Andrew Dreschel’s commentary appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday. adreschel@thespec.com 905-526-3495 @AndrewDreschel