If city council agrees on Wednesday, Ottawa’s Police Services Board will be chaired by a woman for the first time.

Ottawa’s Mayor announced his picks for committee and board chairs on Wednesday and Gloucester-Southgate councillor Diane Deans is Jim Watson’s pick for the Police Services Board. On her to do list will be issues of racial profiling and the hiring of a new police chief.

Diane Deans would be the first woman to chair the Ottawa Police Services Board. [Photo courtesy Diane Deans] 

She would replace councillor Eli El-Chantiry, who has had the job for the past 15 years. Instead, he will chair the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee.  

Jenna Sudds is the councillor for Kanata North. [Photo courtesy Jenna Sudds] 

A second female councillor will  also  play a role in the city’s security. Kanata North councillor Jenna Sudds is to chair the Community and Protective Services committee. 

The role of women on council will be further enhanced by the creation of a new committee for Women and Gender Equity chaired by Theresa Kavanagh, Bay Ward councillor. 

Barrhaven’s Jan Harder will stay as chair of the powerful planning committee while Cumberland’s Steve Blais will move from his position as chair of the Transit Commission to wield the gavel at the Transportation Committee instead. 

Watson will chair the finance and economic development committee. 

The council will vote on the nominations at its meeting Wednesday.  

Here’s the full list of proposed appointments: 

  • Community and Protective Services Committee Jenna Sudds, Kanata North 
  • Transportation Committee Steve Blais, Cumberland 
  • Audit Committee Jean Cloutier, Alta Vista 
  • Audit Committee (vice-chair) Carol-Anne Meehan, Gloucester-South Nepean 
  • Planning Committee Jan Harder, Barrhaven
  • Agriculture Committee Eli El-Chantiry, West-Carleton March 
  • Environment and Climate Protection Committee Scott Moffatt, Rideau-Goulbourn
  • Environment and Climate Protection Committee (vice-chair) Shawn Menard, Capital 
  • Ottawa Police Services Board and Crime Prevention Diane Deans, Gloucester-Southgate 
  • Transit Commission Allan Hubley, Kanata North 
  • Built Heritage Sub-committee Glen Gower, Stittsville 
  •  Housing and Homelessness Committee Catherine McKenney, Somerset
  • Women and Gender Equity Committee Theresa Kavanagh, Bay
  • Ottawa Board of Health Keith Egli, Knoxdale-Merivale 
  • Ottawa Community Housing and Sport Commissioner Mathieu Fleury, Rideau-Vanier
  • Information and Technology Sub-committee Jeff Leiper, Kitchissippi 
  • Information and Technology Sub-committee (vice-chair) Rick Chiarelli, College
  • Board Member, Association of Municiplaties in Ontario Riley Brockington, River
  • Ottawa Public Library Board and Federation of Canadian Municipalities Tim Tierney, Beacon Hill-Cyrville 
  • Canadian Capital Cities Organization and Ottawa Community Lands Development Corporation Tobi Nussbaum, Rideau-Rockcliffe 
  • Deputy Mayors: George Darouze, Osgoode; Laura Dudas, Innes;  Matt Luloff, Orleans

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