THUNDER BAY — A retired Ontario justice of the peace and the current head of the Thunder Bay Salvation Army’s Journey to Life Centre say they both have the necessary and varied experience that will help them in their new roles on the Thunder Bay’s Police Service Board's governance committee.
Marcel Netemegesic Donio and Gary Ferguson were named community appointees to the board’s governance committee in late January. In an interview with Dougall Media, Donio said he’s always been interested in police review and oversight, having served separate terms on oversight bodies for the Anishinabek Police Service and the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service.
“I think they provide a vital service to the public for protection, services, they're there when help is needed,” he said. “It's something that by virtue of the work that I had been doing in employment equity and human rights and justice of the peace work — it's similar to the kinds of things you do, although from a different perspective.”
“When the opportunity came up, I thought ‘this is my opportunity to give something back to the community that I've been part of for so long.’”
Donio is a member of Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek (Sand Point First Nation), but the community was forcibly moved to Biinjitiwaabik Zaaging Anishinaabek (Rocky Bay First Nation), where he grew up before moving to Thunder Bay and attending Confederation College and Lakehead University.
“I think I've got experience in dealing with members — community members — who are wanting and desirous of police services, some are happy with the service and some are not so happy,” he said.
“I think I have years of experience of dealing with those kinds of situations, dealing with people — not always happy people — but just dealing with people, and I think it's something that I do well.”
For Ferguson, who has a range of experience in social service-related fields like mental health and addictions, he said the police do have an impact in a lot of ways.
“I thought it was important that I could have a voice of the community but I'm able to talk a bit about the population that I represent and actually some of the concerns that are in the community,” he said. “To have that voice is very important.”
Ferguson said he’s “honoured” to have received the appointment.
“I'm happy to be a voice for the people in the community that we serve,” he said. “It's very important that we work towards the trust and transformation of police services.”
