Within hours, the Thunder Bay Police Service said his death was not suspicious and closed its investigation. Rather than decide itself, the board asked a retired judge, Lee Ferrier, to hold a hearing on the extension. In his ruling, Ferrier decided among other things that holding an open hearing could taint witnesses and stigmatize the officers involved. The complainants and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation turned to Divisional Court, where they argued unsuccessfully that the charter requires an open hearing except in narrow circumstances. However, it also noted a subsequent Appeal Court ruling that the charter guarantees the public’s right to attend police board meetings unless there are compelling reasons to abridge that right.

Source: thestar December 27, 2019 20:25 UTC