Human rights lawyer recommended to be Winnipeg's first integrity commissioner

City staff is proposing aprominent human rights lawyer totake on the role of ethics watchdog at Winnipeg city hall in April.

Sherri Walsh was tapped by a city selection panel to be Winnipeg's first-everintegrity commissioner. Upon council's approval, she will serve in the position for two years, with possibility of renewal.

Coun. Jenny Gerbasi(Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry) first proposed the idea of hiring an integrity commissioner in 2008 afterthe city hired a close friend of then-mayor Sam Katz, Phil Sheegl, as director of planning, property and development.

The city first approved the idea for the position in early December2015. Staff reviewed nine candidates for the position.

Coun. Mike Pagtakhan(Point Douglas) chaired the integrity commissioner selection panel and said he was pleased torecommend her for the job.

"The appointment of an integrity commissioner is long overdue and it's great to be moving forward with a recommendation for Executive Policy Committee and ultimately council's consideration," Pagtakhansaid in a written statement.

The commissioner will educatecouncil members on ethics, investigatealleged conflicts of interest and providean open and transparent process to report perceived conflicts, among other things.

At next week's Executive Policy Committee meeting the mayor's inner circle will vote on therecommendation. If approved,city council will vote on Walsh's appointment Feb. 22.

Walsh graduated from the University of Manitoba's law program in 1985 and was called to the bar the following year.

Her work includes serving as commission counsel to the Phoenix SinclairInquiry, one of the largest public inquiries in Manitoba's history, and serving as chief adjudicator onthe Human Rights Code of Manitobaadjudication panel.

She has also worked as director on the board of the University of Winnipeg Foundation and chaired the Winnipeg Harvest board.

Walsh was one of the recipients of the first NellieAwardsin 2016. The awardhonours Nellie McClung and recognized Walsh's work inconstitutional and human rights law along with respectful workplace issues and protectingthe privacy of sexual assault victims.

Winnipeg's integrity commissioner will receive a yearly retainer of $25,000, along with a $200 hourly salary, along with money to hire an associate and articling student.

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