Chris Harris

Chris Harris has spent over 40 years promoting harmonious race relations in the Nation's Capital. Now retired from the public service, Chris spends a great deal of his time helping new Canadians and members of visible minorities find jobs with the OPS and throughout the public sector.

Born and raised in Jamaica, Chris taught school before moving to England where he studied Science and Mechanical Engineering. When he moved to Ottawa he took a position with the National Research Council, where he was employed for thirty years.

Chris has always been involved in community work. In Jamaica he was a Scout Troop Leader. In England he assisted the director of Bristol's West Indian Association and worked on negotiating city policies and raising community awareness. In Ottawa he became involved in the Jamaican community and in promoting multicultural understanding.

"We may be black, blue or pink," he says, "but we can all work together to get rid of the bad."

Chris co-founded Ottawa-Carleton Immigrant Services Organization and the National Capital Alliance on Race Relations and, during his six years as chair of the Advisory Committee on Visible Minorities, helped develop the city's multicultural policy, which is still in use.

As president of the Jamaican (Ottawa) Community Association he helped launch a Multicultural Recreational Day Camp to improve relations between the police and minority youth. He also helped develop the first cultural training program for the Ottawa-Carleton police.

As an OPS Recruitment Champion, Chris is helping find excellent police officers in every community. "We have to convince people that police careers offer good pay, respect and the chance to participate in the community, And that they can be proud of this career."

Chris is fluent in English and Jamaican patois. If you're interested in talking with him about careers in policing, you can contact him at caharris17@hotmail.com.

Chris Luesby's upbringing was all about what is important for everyone. "Particularly as teenagers, we were on our own," he says, "but you couldn't be late for supper… there'd be hell to pay because you were holding everyone up."

The fifth of eight children growing up in a military family with modest means, Chris worked his way through university, earning a Bachelor of Commerce with a specialization in HR and strategic management from the University of Ottawa in 1987. After graduation he traveled and worked in Belgium and the UK.

When he returned to Ottawa, he worked at Algonquin College as Manager of Financial Aid, with the Law Society of Upper Canada as the Bar Admission Registrar for Ottawa, and with Revenue Canada where he helped implement the GST mainframe.

Chris joined municipal government in 1993. He held posts with the former Ottawa-Carleton Social Services Department and, during the city's amalgamation, worked on Transition Board projects. He is now a Policy and Planning Officer providing advice and support for management on strategic and operational planning, research, performance measurement, issue management and policy and procedure development.

Chris has been involved with a variety of gay men's social organizations since the 1990s. He was a member of the Rideau Speedeaus, helped kick-start the Ottawa Gay Hockey Association, and now coordinates a gay men's rollerblade group and regularly organizes board-game evenings for members of the community.

Chris has been involved with the Ottawa Police Service and the Liaison Committee with the GLBT community since January 2003. He participated in the provincial Constable Selection System Review helping address possible systemic discrimination. "I had the opportunity to look at the systems, meet the players and build relationships. That gave me faith and trust," he says.

Chris is also a Volunteer Recruitment Champion who is eager to encourage GLBT members of the community to discover how exciting a career in policing can be. He helps develop prospective candidates who want to pursue careers in policing.

"I truly believe that if GLBT candidates have 'got the goods,' they'll make it through the rigorous recruiting process," he says. "In the past two years, I've successfully mentored GLBT candidates who have become officers, so I have tangible proof that the system is fair and that it works."

Chris is fluent in English and French and has a wealth of knowledge to share about police careers. You can contact him at liaison@rogers.com.

Harkirat Sehgal

Harkirat Sehgal (Harki) was 15 or so when her family moved from India to Edmonton. She adapted quickly to her new country and, after completing high school, earned a B.Sc. in Computer Engineering from the University of Alberta.

In 2001 she accepted a job offer from Industry Canada and moved to Ottawa to work in Spectrum Engineering, the department that allocates frequency spectrum licenses, monitors radio frequencies and does engineering studies related to radio communication systems.

An active member of the city's Sikh community, in 2006 Harki was president of Bhangra Nation, a non-profit group that organizes Bhangra dance competitions across Canada. She also served as treasurer for the Spectrum Information Technology and Telecommunication (SITT) sector's federal United Way campaign in 2006.

Harki's father served as a Radar Mechanic in the Indian Air Force before joining the electronics industry. As a result, Harki has always had a special interest in uniformed services, including police services. A good friend of the family served as the first turbaned Sikh officer in Edmonton and another is an officer with the Ottawa Police Service. These connections prompted Harki's decision to become a Recruitment Champion for the OPS.

"Hiring officers from diverse communities will help the whole police service become more understanding," she says. "It opens a lot of doors for everyone."

Harki participates in information sessions, but also enjoys talking with prospective officers one-on-one. Some people contact her through the Sikh temple, and others hear about her through word of mouth.

"I help them in any way I can," she says.

Harki speaks English, Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu, and is learning French. If you'd like to talk with her regarding a career in the police field, you can contact her at sehgal.harki@ic.gc.ca.

Clara Wong

Clara Wong has practiced law for many years and is a Member of the Law Societies of Upper Canada, England and Wales, and Hong Kong.

Born in Hong Kong, Clara came to Canada for the last two years of high school and stayed to study math at the University of Manitoba, acquire an MBA from the University of Western Ontario, and earn a law degree from the University of Ottawa. She applied for immigrant status while still an undergraduate and became a citizen in 1979.

Early in her career, Clara worked for the federal government. She did research for the Law Reform Commission, worked with a task force on regulatory reform and held a position with the Department of Finance. Subsequently she worked with law firms that had offices in Canada and Hong Kong. She worked in both countries and also acquired extensive experience in mainland China.

She also spent time in Moscow as a volunteer Assistant Teacher for a project sponsored by the Russian Legal Reform Foundation.

Clara volunteers at the Rockcliffe Community Police Centre and the Glebe Centre. Her interest in multicultural and cross-cultural issues also prompted her to become a recruitment Champion with the OPS.

"I would like the Chinese community to be more involved," she says. "Changing the make-up of the police service will help to change attitudes and it's good to be involved in change."

Clara speaks Cantonese, Mandarin and Shanghainese. If you'd like to talk with her about police careers you can contact her at wong8015@rogers.com.