RCMP Watch

July 6, 2006 - CBC Manitoba

It was standing-room only last night at the first East St. Paul council meeting since a series of CBC News stories uncovered problems with the Rural Municipality’s police force and the sudden, controversial firing of the municipality’s chief administrative officer.

The firing and reports of police misconduct brought dozens of residents to Wednesday night’s meeting looking for accountability from their elected officials.

Early on, East St. Paul police officers escorted the media out of the public meeting.  Reeve Phil Rebeck said a municipal bylaw prohibits recording devices inside council chambers.

As members of the media tried to eavesdrop, several residents inside the meeting demanded answers from council.

MLA calls for reeve’s resignation

Ron Schuler, who represents the area in the provincial legislature, took the unusual step of calling for the resignation of Phil Rebeck, East St. Paul’s reeve.

“If you can’t stand up and show leadership, then sir, with all due respect, step aside and let others who can,” he said to the applause of some residents.

“I normally wouldn’t step into something like this, I just feel the issue has gotten to the point where it’s time for myself to step up,” Schuler said after the meeting.

“We wanted the reeve to get up and tell us, ‘this is what we’re going to do. This is how we’re going to be accountable and this is how we’re going to move forward,’ and our reeve basically shut the media out and all but threw the delegation out the door, and that’s really disconcerting for us as citizens.”

Few answers from council

Many local residents wanted to know why popular municipal administrative officer Jerome Mauws was fired suddenly last week, seemingly without explanation.

“If he’s determined to have acted inappropriately, we’ll fire his butt any day, but if he isn’t, let’s give him the basic human right to defend his position and stand on his record,” said Greg Link.

Rebeck refused to answer most questions, and had little to say on the way to his car after the meeting.

After the meeting, area resident Linda Zonzec said she had found no answers to her questions about Mauws’s dismissal.

“This whole meeting is disgusting,” she said. “They should give him [Mauws] a fair chance, I think.  Rebeck should change his mind … hire him [Mauws] back, and let a second council decide what they’re going to do.”

The next council meeting in the municipality takes place Aug. 5.

Elections on the horizon

Some residents who attended the meeting are already looking forward to change during municipal elections in the fall.

“There’s no leadership in this community. None whatsoever,” said Ed Arnold.

“I think it’s time for a change, and I hope the people will know that the elections are on Oct. 25 and come on out and vote. We certainly don’t need some of those councillors.”

Residents will vote for councillors and reeves in provincewide municipal elections in October.