This Issue
Sometimes inspiration strikes when the pressure is on. And so it was on the eve of press day, as I struggled to find a focus for this letter from the editor. (So many big issues, only 500 or so words.) Then I heard Ketcia Peters on the radio. Peters, who serves as a liaison between the public and the Ottawa Police Service, is one of four people profiled by Judy Trinh in “Does the Ottawa Police Service have a race problem?” (page 36). Peters is also the person who took the initiative to organize a public meeting with the Special Investigations Unit (SIU). She wanted people to understand that the SIU, which investigates police incidents that result in death, serious injury, or allegations of sexual assault, was created in the shadow of a race-related incident. She wanted the members to come face to face with the people they serve. Most of all, she spoke of faith, confidence, and trust.
When we set out to do this piece, we didn’t see it as a story about racism. Rather, we thought it was about trust — or lack of it. But as the stories came in, we realized racism had to be front and centre. To do anything less would be to make the same mistake as Chief Charles Bordeleau, who at first refused to denounce the racist comments made by an officer on an Ottawa Citizen story about the death of Inuk artist Annie Pootoogook. Bordeleau now admits that they were racist, and progress seems to have been made following that incident — Sgt. Chris Hrnchiar has apologized and taken steps to make amends with the Inuit community. But the death of Abdirahman Abdi still hangs in limbo, under investigation by the SIU. The Somali-Canadian man died last July; when this issue comes out in late March, will we have some clarity about this tragedy?
As a magazine with long lead times, we often avoid stories that hinge on the release of reports that don’t have a firm deadline or that reflect on incidents that happened months before the issue hits newsstands. Unfortunately, when it comes to racial profiling and the public’s trust in police, this problem isn’t going away. That said, when I hear Peters talking about trust and transparency, and when I read about Veldon Coburn reflecting on the value of apologizing and forgiveness, I feel hopeful about the future of our city.
Coming Up: As Ottawans trade their fat tires for skinny wheels, we take a hard look at cycling infrastructure. Complete streets are all the rage, but they tend to be built in well-off neighbourhoods where many residents can choose to use their bike or car. What about people whose sole method of transportation is their bike? Our Summer issue will give readers insight into the city’s cycling infrastructure strategy and suggest those planners take a ride on the wild side: down Heron Road by bike.