Candidate's bravery award delay raises questions

The abrupt postponement of a bravery award for a man who performed CPR on a shooting victim is raising questions about whether politics are at play.

FabienKalalaCimankinda, who's running for the city council seat in River ward, should have received the award from the city's community and protective services committee in February, more than two months before the election campaign began.

Coun. Riley Brockington, vice-chair ofthe committee, is running for re-election in the same ward.

On the afternoon of Sept. 20,2017, Cimankindawas visiting the Caldwell Avenue neighbourhood where he grew upwhen he heard gunshots ring out while his daughter played outside.

He rushed outside and performed CPR on theshooting victim until paramedics arrived, but the man later died.

• Caldwell Ave. homicide victim identified asHamzehSerhan, 20
• 'I cannot just stay away': Bystanders rush to help fatal shooting victim
• Residents taking back Caldwell Avenue after daylight killing

Cimankinda, already a well-known figure in the community for his stance against crime and gun violence, and his involvement in events such as Black History Month, received an email fromthe city onFeb. 12, informing him he'd receive a special commendation during the meeting of the community and protective services committee 10 days later.

Within a day, he received a second email informing him the award would have to be postponedbecause the meeting's agenda was already too heavy. CBCNews has obtained both emails.

That meeting ran just onehour. The award of Cimankinda's commendation was never rescheduled

Cimankinda received another emailin late June saying the award would be delayed until after the Oct. 22 election.

Candidate frustrated

Following an all-candidates debate over the Thanksgiving weekend, Cimankindaexpressed his frustration.

"When they decidedto give it to me, I wasn't a candidate. They wait [four] months to tell me I'm not going to receive it because I became a candidate."

Toward the end of the debate,a resident pressed the incumbent to explain what had happened.

"Did you talk, email, influence or interfere in any way in the delay of this bravery citation?" CBCOttawa's Adrian Harewood, who moderated the debate, asked Brockington.

Brockingtontold theaudience, many of whom were Cimankinda supporters,"the citation was warranted," but said Coun. Diane Deans, the committee's chair, had concerns aboutits timing becauseCimankindawas widely rumoured to be planning a campaign.

"The advice she got from the city clerk was that the ceremony could take place, but it would happen after the election," Brockingtonsaid.

• Crime, community services top of mind at River ward debate

No politics, Deans says

But on Tuesday, Deans contradicted that version of events.

"This decision was made based on the anticipation of what was coming onto these agendas, and we believed them to be very heavy agendas," she said.

She cited the third-party review of the city's long-term care homes and the city's homelessness plan, both on the committee's to-do listat the time.

Another resident's award was similarly postponed, Deans said.

Deans said Brockingtonnever approached her about the matter, and said the decision had nothing to do with politics.

"Absolutely, this fellow is deserving of this award, and will be given an award," Deans said.