Close X
Thursday, December 5, 2024
ADVT 
National

Police Board In Nova Scotia Town Suspends Councillor For Use Of Racial Slur

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 04 Oct, 2016 11:56 AM
    AMHERST, N.S. — A town councillor and mayoral candidate in northern Nova Scotia has been reprimanded and suspended for 90 days from the town's police board for using a racial slur.
     
    Paul Calder, vice-chairman of the town of Amherst Board of Police Commissioners, said it censured George Baker on Monday by a vote of 3 to 2.
     
    "The type of actions Mr. Baker did in uttering what he did reflects on the reputation of the board of police commissioners for the town of Amherst," Calder said.
     
    Baker came under scrutiny after admitting to town officials that he said , "I'm not your n-----r" to workers at Bambino's Pizzeria while working a side job there in July.
     
    Amherst town council decided it didn't have the authority to deal with allegations of misconduct and referred the matter to the town's board of police commissioners, a civil body that has a different code of conduct than council.
     
    Calder said the board decided it needed to act now to discipline Baker because municipal elections will be held in less than two weeks on Oct. 15.
     
    "A lot of people were apprehensive that we would just wait for the election to determine what would happen," he said. "We as a board didn't want to give the impression that we were waiting for somebody else to make a decision, that we had to make it ourselves."
     
    Calder said options before the board included suspension, reprimand, removal from the board, or a combination of those actions. He said the board found Baker breached the regulations in the Police Act in making "comments of a racial nature."
     
    Calder said he believes the board's ruling sends the message that Baker's conduct "was not acceptable."
     
    "It was in violation of the regulations under the Police Act that govern the behaviour of members of the board," said Calder.
     
    He said under the regulations board members must "refrain from engaging in professional or personal conduct that could discredit or compromise the integrity of the board of the police department."
     
    Baker did not respond to a request seeking comment.
     
    The controversy generated by Baker's conduct prompted a direct response from the Nova Scotia government in August.
     
    Municipal Affairs Minister Zach Churchill said the province will consider a uniform code of conduct for all municipal councils as part of contemplated changes to the Municipal Government Act in 2017.
     
    Churchill said while some councils do have codes of conduct, they currently aren't mandated through the act or through provincial regulation.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Northern Saskatchewan Mine Worker Recovering In Hospital After Wolf Attack

    SASKATOON — A 26-year-old man is recovering in hospital after he was attacked in northern Saskatchewan by a lone wolf.

    Northern Saskatchewan Mine Worker Recovering In Hospital After Wolf Attack

    All 17 Tragically Hip Albums Land On Billboard's Canadian Albums Chart

    All 17 Tragically Hip Albums Land On Billboard's Canadian Albums Chart
    TORONTO — Canada's insatiable appetite for the Tragically Hip sent the rock band's entire discography back onto the Billboard charts last week.

    All 17 Tragically Hip Albums Land On Billboard's Canadian Albums Chart

    National Defence Says 30 People Punished For Sexual Misconduct In Military Ranks

    National Defence Says 30 People Punished For Sexual Misconduct In Military Ranks
    In an update today, the military says it completed 51 investigations into inappropriate sexual behaviour between April and July.

    National Defence Says 30 People Punished For Sexual Misconduct In Military Ranks

    'Aggressive' Pit Bull Attacks Senior, Dog In White Rock, B.C.

    'Aggressive' Pit Bull Attacks Senior, Dog In White Rock, B.C.
     Farnaz Farrokh says the woman, who is in her 70s, was walking her Yorkie in a laneway on Aug. 20 when a pit bull suddenly emerged from a nearby property and attacked the much smaller dog.

    'Aggressive' Pit Bull Attacks Senior, Dog In White Rock, B.C.

    'Horrific' Car Crash In Downtown Vancouver Kills 68-Year-Old Driver, Passenger, 3 Injured

    'Horrific' Car Crash In Downtown Vancouver Kills 68-Year-Old Driver, Passenger, 3 Injured
    Vancouver Police say a 68-year-old man and 70-year-old woman were the victims of the single vehicle crash that also injured three pedestrians in downtown Vancouver.

    'Horrific' Car Crash In Downtown Vancouver Kills 68-Year-Old Driver, Passenger, 3 Injured

    Man Kaur, 100-Year-Old Runner From India Inspires At Americas Masters Games In Vancouver

    Man Kaur, 100-Year-Old Runner From India Inspires At Americas Masters Games In Vancouver
    "When she wins, she goes back to India, and she's excited to tell others, 'I have won so many medals from this country,' " said her son Gurdev Singh, 78.

    Man Kaur, 100-Year-Old Runner From India Inspires At Americas Masters Games In Vancouver