PRESS RELEASE: Horizon Ottawa Condemns Move to Rush Hiring of New Police Chief

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OTTAWA - Horizon Ottawa is condemning the move from the Police Services Board to rush the hiring of the new Police Chief, and finds the decision undemocratic and likely politically motivated.”

The move comes only three days before the end of the municipal election and a few weeks before the new council takes office, as well as during the inquiry into the use of the Emergency Act.

In last night’s debate, mayoral candidate Mark Sutcliffe expressed support for the decision to select a new police chief just three days before election day. He described the police board as being separate from city council and also said that he doesn’t think selecting a new chief should be political. This is despite his campaign co-chair and current city councillor Eli El-Chantiry currently serving as the chair of the Police Services Board.

“If the PSB and council are separate entities and the process shouldn’t be political, then it is unacceptable for a perceived conflict-of-interest like this to exist,” said Sam Hersh, Board Member of Horizon Ottawa, “This move only furthers the distrust that residents throughout the city already had of their police”.

Horizon Ottawa is also questioning the pick of the new Ottawa Police Chief, Eric Stubbs, who is supposed to be renewing trust in the community. While in charge of Core Criminal Operations for the BC RCMP, Stubbs ostensibly played a pivotal role in the multiple raids on Wet'suwet'en land since 2019 and defended the arresting of journalists during the raids.

“If this is the Board’s attempt at “regaining our trust” they have failed,” said Hersh, “We are unsure how a Police Chief who played a big role in raids of Indigenous territory is supposed to make BIPOC and other equity-seeking communities in Ottawa feel safe - quite the opposite”.

Horizon is also calling for all candidates, including Mark Sutcliffe, to denounce the decision to rush this appointment at this time.

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For Media Inquiries:

Sam Hersh
613-663-7018
[email protected]

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PRESS RELEASE: Horizon Ottawa Releases Donor Information from Osgoode By-election Candidates

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

09 June 2025

OTTAWA - Horizon Ottawa has released information about how candidates in the Osgoode by-election have financed their campaigns in an effort to improve transparency. The organization has consistently called on candidates to refuse contributions from the development industry based on the perception that this could create a conflict of interest when elected officials are tasked with decisions that would affect developer profits. The City of Ottawa already requires candidates to release a list of all donations over $100 following the election, but Horizon also stresses the importance of voters having access to this information before casting their ballot.

Of the eleven candidates registered in the by-election, Horizon was able to contact ten, six of whom responded to the request. Horizon’s findings can be seen in this chart:

Three candidates: Dalton Holloway, Jennifer van Koughnett, and Peter Westaway provided a list of their donors and were verified to have not received any funding from those connected to the development industry.

Greg Vail provided a list of donors and was found to have received two $100 contributions from donors who could be construed to be connected to the real estate development industry.

Isabelle Skalski and Dan O’Brien both claim to have received no developer-related funding, but did not disclose a list of their donors.

Doug Thompson, Colette Lacroix Velthuis, Guy Boone, and Bobby Gulati did not respond to Horizon’s request. While this does not necessarily mean that their campaigns were funded by developer-connected donors, Osgoode Ward residents will not have access to this information before selecting a councillor.

Horizon encourages each of these candidates to show voters that transparency matters to them and to make this information publicly available before election day on June 16th.

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For media inquiries:

English

Tom Ledgley

[email protected]

613-663-7018

French

Sam Hersh