Coalition wants CDN ousted from downtown
Coalition wants public voice in downtown security discussion
By Chris Jones/The Oshawa Express
A coalition of local organizations has invited Mayor Dan Carter to host a special council meeting to discuss the hiring of CDN Protection Inc.
We Are Oshawa, DIRE, AIDS Committee of Durham, and the Durham Region Labour Council were recently outside of Oshawa City Hall with a crowd of approximately 20 people asking the mayor to host a special meeting where the public can discuss the hiring of CDN.
Their demands include a full public disclosure of the city’s contract with CDN, city council’s condemnation of alleged racist and unethical behaviour by senior officials at CDN, the immediate cancellation of the city’s contract with CDN, and the elimination of security forces patrolling Oshawa’s downtown.
However, the main purpose of the event according to We Are Oshawa’s Luc Mailloux is to get city council to hold a special meeting so the public can have input on the use of security forces in downtown Oshawa.
“We all know the reason that we’re here is that council voted to award a $100,000 contract to CDN Protection to monitor downtown and to deal with complaints or whatever issues they feel require security downtown,” he says.
He notes since the contract was awarded, Carter was informed of racist and sexist social media posts from one senior official at CDN, as well as messages shared to the public showing homeless residents in inappropriate positions.
There were shouts of “shame” as Mailloux discussed the allegations, and calls for Carter to announce a special meeting from those in attendance.
Carter was unable to attend the meeting despite an invitation from the organizers, and Mailloux says he had “other plans.”
Ultimately, the goal of the coalition is for the public to get an opportunity to express their thoughts on the use of CDN in downtown Oshawa.
“We want a public meeting on the record where the community has the opportunity to express their fears… and get answers for the decisions that they make, because we voted them in there. They’re there because of us,” he says.
While the mayor was unable to attend the gathering, two councillors were in attendance.
Ward 1 City Councillor Rosemary McConkey and Ward 5 City and Regional Councillor Brian Nicholson were at the gathering outside of city hall.
Nicholson tells The Oshawa Express he would be open to revisiting the issue, but there are some stipulations.
“I never have a problem with a constituent speaking to council,” says the veteran councillor. “I think it’s our duty to listen, and as I’ve explained to them we can hear what you have to say, we can hear your concerns, but I said we can’t debate it in public because that’s a violation of the Provincial Privacy Act.”
However, Nicholson says he is open to hearing what they have to say.
“I’ve said it from day one, if you have proof of breach of contract, send it to me, and if it’s a serious matter we’ll take it seriously,” he says, adding council has yet to see any actual proof.
He says he needs proof of a violation of CDN’s contract, and if he has it, given the opportunity, he will vote to terminate the contract with CDN.
Jesse Cullen of We Are Oshawa previously told The Express he believes it’s important for the public to have input on the record, and the public has yet to receive an opportunity to do so.
“We really think because this issue was made with public dollars to patrol public areas, that any input the community has should be on the record at a public meeting,” says Cullen.
The hiring of CDN was previously approved by council for $100,000, with Carter and Ward 3 Councillor Bradley Marks being the two dissenting votes.
As of now, a special council meeting has not been called.