May 20 – Community Policing in Canada: Problems & Prospects

Episode’s Video available- Click to Watch

Speakers.

D/Chief Lorilee Davies has lead a 25+ year career with the Regina Police Service (RPS). Starting her career in 1996, D/Chief Davies has worked in both uniform and investigative divisions of the RPS Lorilee has also provided leadership in community based and human resource sections of the Service and has been a member of both the Public Safety and Crisis Negotiation Teams. She has also led many operational and proactive community initiatives. Over the past couple of years, her diverse assignments have spanned managing largescale protests and labour disputes to providing oversight as a Critical Incident Commander on Emergency Services calls. Lorilee developed and leads a Truth and Reconciliation (TRC) committee and strategy for the RPS. Driven in many areas, Lorilee is also committed to increasing female membership at the RPS and for policing in this province, especially in the supervisory and leadership roles.

---

Norm Leech (Executive Director of Vancouver Aboriginal Community Policing Centre)

Norm has been the Executive Director for the Vancouver Aboriginal Community Policing Centre (VACPC) since May 2016, and is a frequent speaker, facilitator, and storyteller, about the experience of Indigenous peoples in Canada. He was born and grew up in East Vancouver, but his ancestry is from the T’it’q’et community in the St’at’imc nation where he also served as Chief and then Administrator when he lived there.

Norm shares about the Indigenous Worldview and ways of being and knowing and communicating, and sharing about Indigenous relations including genders, the written word, and with the land. He draws on his experiences as a recovering alcoholic/ addict, single dad, computer nerd, inter-generational survivor, and spiritual student to inform his current work.

He is trained in facilitation with the Canadian Human Rights Foundation (now Equitas) and with St’at’imc Restorative Justice in Lillooet. Norm worked with communities across Canada to develop Indigenous governance models and constitutions with the National Centre for First Nations Governance. For the VACPC, Norm facilitates the cultural sessions for Police Academy and Sheriffs Academy at the Justice Institute. He has been teaching Indigenous Tools For Living (ITFL) across Canada and online. ITFL is built upon Indigenous Focusing Oriented Therapy (IFOT), which is an Indigenous, body-centred and land-based approach to trauma.

---

Counc. Markus Chambers

Markus is the City Councillor for the new boundary ward of St Norbert – Seine River. Prior to seeking public office, Markus spent 29 years as a civil servant with the Province of Manitoba in a variety of positions but specifically the last 17 managing the Provincial Nominee Program which brings skilled workers and business investment to Manitoba. Councillor Chambers is the first Afro-Caribbean elected in Manitoba’s history in any of the three levels of government.

As an avid community volunteer, Markus has sat

• 6 years on the Board of Trustees for the United Way of Winnipeg and
• 10 years on the Capital Campaign Cabinet for the Friends of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

Additionally, Markus has also sat on the Boards:

• Henteleff Park Foundation and
• St Boniface Hospital Research Foundation (International Academy of Cardiovasular Sciences) raising money and awareness for heart health within the Caribbean Community.

Markus is a graduate of the University of Manitoba where he most recently completed the Public Sector Management program and previously double majored in Political Sciences and Sociology.

Markus was appointed Deputy Mayor of the City of Winnipeg from 2018 – 2020 and served on the following Standing Policy Committees:

• Standing Policy Committee of Finance (2018-2020)
• Standing Policy Committee of Water Waste and Riverbanks (2018-2020)

Markus currently chairs the following Boards or Standing Policy Committees

• Winnipeg Police Board
• Standing Policy Committee of Innovation and Economic Development
• Human Rights Committee of Council as (Vice Chair)
• City Council Governance Committee

Markus currently sits on the Infrastructure Renewal and Public Works as well as Parks Community Services and Protection Standing Policy Committees and was appointed A/Deputy Mayor in 2021 where he represents the City of Winnipeg on a variety of stakeholder issues and is committed to the values and principles of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.

June 17th

Episode’s Video Available- Click to Watch

Speakers.

Dr. Nancy McNaughton, MEd, PhD nmcnaughton565@gmail.com

Nancy McNaughton is a Health Professional educator with over thirty years experience in the field of simulation based education primarily in mental health. She is an Assistant Professor with the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto and a Scientist with the Wilson Centre for Research in Education at the University Health Network. Since 2010 Nancy has developed and delivered training for a number of police Colleges in Ontario and is actively involved in the development and implementation of a non police, community crisis response training program for the City of Toronto.

Dr. McNaughton is an Interim Co-Chair together with Curtis Clarke, (retired Deputy Minister of Advanced Education, Alberta) of the Research Advisory Committee for the newly formed Coalition for Canadian Police Reform.

---

Dr. Michelle Stewart

Dr. Michelle Stewart is an Associate Professor in Gender, Religion and Critical Studies and is also teaches in the Department of Justice Studies. Michelle is an interdisciplinary scholar working with research and evaluation teams at the regional, national and international level. As an applied anthropologist trained in Science and Technology Studies as well as visual and legal anthropology, Michelle focuses on research, interventions, evaluation and community collaboration in the area of cognitive disabilities, mental health and racialized inequalities as they present in the criminal justice and child welfare systems—but are traced back to Social Determinants of Health. Michelle was raised as a settler, and her research and community work focuses on the ongoing role of settler colonialism and systemic racism that creates racialized disparities in the justice system—with an aim to decolonize programs and practices. From the delivery of training to scholarly and artistic outputs, Michelle focuses on high-impact, community-driven, and action-oriented projects. Michelle recently completed two terms as the Academic Director of the Community Research Unit. She leads UR Evidence Liaison Team and is the Institutional Lead for Community-Based Research at the University of Regina. Michelle is the project lead for the Integrated Justice Program. This multi-year project focuses on Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action #34 to deliver frontline supports and services that intervene on the over-representation of Indigenous peoples with disabilities in the justice system. Michelle is a certified Gladue writer leading a one-of-a-kind project that generates team delivered Gladue Reports meant to impact sentencing in Saskatchewan courts. Michelle’s work appears in academic journals and books as well as popular outlets including The Conversation.

Michelle’s most recent article, “Risk, Rights, and Deservedness: Navigating the Tensions of Gladue, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and Settler Colonialism,” with Jane Dickson, Behavioral Sciences & the Law, is an Open Access article.

---

Rochelle Dubois

Rochelle Dubois is an Indigenous social justice activist from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan who is seeking justice in the case of her daughter, Baeleigh Maurice, who died on September 9, 2021.

---

Sheri Wild

Sgt. Sheri Wild is an officer with Regina Police Services and supervises the Regina Police and Crisis Team (PACT) unit.

July 15th

Episode’s Video Available- Click to Watch

Speakers.

Dr. Moussa Magassa

Dr. Moussa Magassa is a specialist in justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-racism education, human rights, social justice, intercultural conflict resolution, immigration & refugee studies, and curriculum development.

Dr. Magassa is the Associate Vice-President, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at the Mount Royal University, Calgary, AB.

Previously, he worked as the Principal Strategist, Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Anti-racism Education and Community Engagement for the University of Victoria. Dr. Magassa is also an associate faculty in both the UVic social justice and intercultural studies & practice program; and the M.A in global leadership program at Royal Roads university. Dr. Magassa is also an instructor at the UBC Centre for intercultural communication.

He holds a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction (UVic) with special focus on critical race theory, anti-racism, Islamophobia, human rights education, and immigrants and refugees’ integration and adaptation in host communities; an MA in human security & peacebuilding (Royal Roads university); a BA (Hons) in conflict resolution and peace studies (Kwazulu Natal University, South Africa); a diploma in forced migration and refugee studies (York University); and various advanced certificates in human rights and humanitarian law (UNITAR), conflict mediation (UNISA). Dr. Magassa is also a qualified administrator of the intercultural competence assessment tool.

Previously, he worked as an immigrant and refugee settlement and integration program coordinator; and as a specialist in non-violence education and research on peace, military spending and the impact of arms trafficking in Africa.

Dr. Magassa is also the CEO and owner of the consulting company, The Intercultural Capacity Building Inc. (www.magassa.ca), specialized in EDI, Intercultural capacity development and anti-racism education. Dr. Moussa Magassa was born in Senegal and speaks many languages in addition to English and French.

b

---

Constable Frank Kovacs

Born and raised in Regina, Sk. Played for the hometown Regina Pats (WHL) for 5 years. Then played professional hockey in Canada, USA, Germany, Britain and Hungary. Throughout my career I have always enjoyed being a part of each community I lived in and used my platform as a hockey player to help make the community stronger in anyway I could.

I am currently a 18 year member with the Regina Police Service. I have worked in Patrol, the Community Service Center, Robbery, Community Engagement Unit and I am currently in the Cultural and Community Diversity Unit. I would consider one of my strengths is being in the community services sections as I love working with the community building strong, positive and genuine relationships. I consider it a privilege to meet with the community on behalf of the Regina Police Service and help our community have a better understanding of the police service and also having the community educating us on what the community needs from us! I also really enjoy doing a lot of volunteer work with Special Olympics, Diabetes bike challenge and teaching at the kids club at our church.

Another one of my passions is to work with the youth in our city. I am currently the drill instructor for the Scott Police Academy as well as the Community Cadets at Thompson, Mother Theresa school! I love to encourage our youth to believe in themselves and to have a passion or goal! Drill teaches them the basic life skills that can help the youth to reach their goals! I also give a lot of my time coaching hockey and flag football!

September 16th

Episode’s Video Available- Click to Watch

Speakers.

Dr. John Lilley (Coalition for Canadian Police Reform)

Dr. Lilley is Vice-President and a Founding Member of the Coalition for Canadian Police Reform, a registered charity. He is a retired physician but continues as a Clinical Professor at the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta. John is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and is a member of the Alberta Premier’s Council on Charities and Civil Society. He was Chair of the YMCA of Northern Alberta Foundation as well as Co-Chair of the Pregnancy Pathways Steering Committee for homeless pregnant women until June 2022. He is a prior Police Commissioner in Edmonton. John is proud to have established a consultation practice for non-profits in Alberta which is now part of the Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations and is called the Alberta Community Support Network.

---

Chief Evan Bray (Regina Police Services)

Evan Bray has 27 years’ experience as a member of the Regina Police Service. Prior to becoming Chief of Police, he predominantly worked as a front line uniformed police officer in Regina’s Central and North Districts. Evan was an instructor at the Saskatchewan Police College as well as a team member and Leader on Crowd Control, Crisis Negotiator and Critical Incident Commander Teams.

Evan served as President of the Regina Police Association and the Saskatchewan Federation of Police Officers for many years, and sat on the Canadian Police Association Board of Directors.

Evan is currently Co-Chair of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police Special Purpose Committee on Illegal Firearms in Canada. He is also an Executive Member of the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police. He is the Co-Chair of the Regina Human Services Partnership Committee, and sits on the Board of Directors for Basketball Saskatchewan. He is also a member of the Capital Cabinet for the YWCA Expansion Project.

October 21st

Episode’s Video Available- Click to Watch

Speakers.

Troy Cooper, M.O.M.

Chief of Police, Saskatoon Police Service

Chief Cooper joined the Prince Albert Police Service in 1987 and graduated as the top academic recruit in 1988. After 31 years with Prince Albert, Chief Cooper was sworn to the office of the Chief of Police for the Saskatoon Police Service on February 28, 2018.

In addition to being awarded Exemplary Service and Protective Services medals, he is the recipient of the Saskatchewan Centennial Medal, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and is a Member of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces.

Chief Cooper has a certificate in Police Leadership Administration from Dalhousie University, a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Criminal Justice from Athabasca University and a Masters of Business Administration focused on policing and security from Charles Sturt University. Chief Cooper is a graduate of the Canadian Police College Executive Development Program and the Senior Management Institute for Police at Boston University.

Chief Cooper is a Member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police and is the Vice President of the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police. He is the Chair of the Saskatchewan Chapter of the Interoperability Interest Group and a member of the Restorative Action Program Board of Directors.

---

Mpoe Mogale (they/them)

Mpoe Mogale (they/them) reigns from Lebowakgomo, South Africa and splits their time between amiskwaciywâskahikan and moh’kínst’sis, in the colonial state of Canada. They hold a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Political Science, and a wealth of expertise in community-based research, facilitation and arts administration.

Mpoe’s primary artmaking form is dance, with a curiosity in the place of Blackness in spaces that deny it, as explored through several projects including “What (Black) Life Requires” (produced by Mile Zero Dance and
Azimuth Theatre). Mpoe’s current artistic imaginations have centered the brilliant, mundane, and joyous aspects that foreground the lives of Black folks.

---

Dr André de Quadros

Dr André de Quadros is a professor of music at Boston University with affiliations in African, African American, Asian, Jewish, Muslim studies, prison education, and Antiracist Research. As an artist and human rights activist, he has worked in over 40 countries in the most diverse settings including professional ensembles, projects with prisons, psychosocial rehabilitation, refugees, and victims of torture and trauma. His work crosses race and mass incarceration, peacebuilding, forced migration, and Islamophobia. He directs choirs and choral projects in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, the United States, Israel and the Arab world, and the Mexico-US border. In 2019, he was a Distinguished Academic Visitor at the University of Cambridge. https://www.andredequadros.com/

---