‘White males need not apply?’ Hamilton councillor asks about proposed selection process for police board
A Hamilton city councillor worries a change in the selection process for a sole police board seat designed to increase the body's diversity is a slippery slope" that will open a Pandora's box."
To broach the subject, Coun. Lloyd Ferguson offered a tongue in cheek" question about how the position might be filled.
So when you advertise this, will you put down white males need not apply?"
Ferguson's choice of words - including his concerns about the influence of special interest groups" - sparked calls at Thursday's finance, audit and administration committee for him to apologize.
Diversity advocates, meanwhile, have reacted with concern over the Ancaster councillor's framing of the effort to attract more racialized members around the police board table.
Ferguson's resistance revealed white fragility" over a change in the selection process to recommend a single citizen appointee to sit with three city politicians and three provincial members on the police board, said Lyndon George, executive director of the Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre (HARRC).
Ferguson's concerns resemble a trepidation over mission creep," George told The Spectator.
And that is often the fear tactic used to prevent change from happening, to prevent racialized voices from having a conversation about changing our system."
But the proposed change in the police board selection process is about allowing someone to sit at the table from a community that often doesn't have representation there," George said.
In recent years, the police board's mostly white male membership has been a bone of contention for advocates amid calls to widen diversity in the service itself.
On Thursday, councillors discussed a governance subcommittee recommendation to create a selection committee that could comprise five city politicians and six community reps, rather than strictly councillors.
HARRC and the city's committee against racism are to determine the six community representatives.
The selection committee would be tasked with recommending two candidates for the police board's sole city-appointed citizen member. Council would ultimately approve one board appointee.
Ferguson, who retires at the end of this term, declined to apologize, but went on to suggest change could lead to other special interest groups" influencing who winds up on boards. I'm just worried that this is a slippery slope to go down."
In response, Coun. Maureen Wilson called his choice of words extremely unfortunate."
Last year, council supported a hate-prevention plan that involved actions to support groups that are not special interest, but have historically been excluded, precluded and discriminated against, subject to racism, misogyny," she added.
Ferguson later said he has tried very hard" to support equity, diversity and inclusion principles. I do think that my record shows that ... but when you slant the vote to a 6-5 vote, it makes it uncomfortable."
I would like to make sure that the marginalized people do get a voice. I think that's good," he added.
On Thursday, the committee voted 4-1 to back the new selection process. Ferguson was the sole dissenter.
Council - which must give final approval - should embrace such changes for those who seek equity in public institutions, Wilson said. They want to be come to the table. They want to be part of this deliberation."
Teviah Moro is a reporter at The Spectator. tmoro@thespec.com