Thunder Bay police board member details Ontario human rights complaint, calls for new leadership

A member of the Thunder Bay, Ont., police board has filed human rights complaints alleging harassment and discrimination, and emphasizes the need for new police leadership.

In speaking Thursday about her complaint, Georjann Morriseau said it's time for a third party to gain oversight of the police service. 

"Not only does the Police Services Board require oversight once again by someone other than ourselves, I also believe that part of that oversight needs to have a structural accountability tied to it," she said. "Right now there isn't enough accountability between board and the proper oversight bodies."

Morriseau is a municipal appointee who joined the board in 2019. She also is a former chair.

Earlier this week, she published a letter on social media that stated the police service "is on the brink of collapse at the hands of its board, its leadership and its administration."

On Thursday, Morriseau held a virtual news conference, saying, "There's no leadership, there's no systemic remedies, there's no systemic reform, a change or anything there to empower the members of the service to be their best and do their best." 

But the news conference was cut short after an attendee aired adult content on the video call. 

Morriseau alleges the lack of leadership begins at the board and continues down to rank-and-file officers who can't speak out about issues they're facing. 

"We fail to uphold our duty to the service and all the members, and we fail to uphold public trust," said Morriseau, former chief of the Ojibway First Nation of Fort William.

The comments are Morriseau's first public statements since she filed a complaint with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, naming the board, Thunder Bay Police Service and police Chief Sylvie Hauth. The complaint alleges that during Morriseau's time as a board member, she has faced discrimination and harassment because she's Indigenous.

That complaint was filed in October. The allegations have not been tested in court. 

CBC News has requested a copy of the complaint from the tribunal, but has not yet received a copy. 

Thursday's media conference, scheduled as a followup to the letter, included Morriseau and her lawyer, Chantelle Bryson, providing more details about the allegations.

Morriseau's complaint stems from a series of incidents going back to August 2020, Bryson said.