Who sets the direction for our OPP?

On June 6th 2006, I rose in the Ontario Legislature to question Monte Kwinter, Minister of Community Safety, regarding the hundreds of smoke shops in our area. I reminded him that I had raised this with him a year before. In his answer, the Minister told me, “it is not my role to tell the police how to deal with that particular situation.”

Fast forward to December 4th 2007. Again, during Question Period, I had the opportunity to ask who is in charge of the OPP to the new Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services. This was because, as I said in the Legislature, “confrontations in Caledonia have resulted in people being knocked unconscious and sent to the hospital.” Again, my question was not answered.

More specifically I asked, in part, “Minister, can you assure the people in my riding that you are accountable, that you are the one who sets the policy and you are the one who sets the direction for our OPP?”

The new Minister, Rick Bartolucci, failed to directly answer the question, instead choosing to state that he is “very, very pleased with the way the OPP has acted.”

Call me old-fashioned, but I maintain when a Member of Her Majesty’s Opposition formally questions a Minister of the Crown an answer is expected - not only for the 110,000 or so people that I represent but also for the citizens of Ontario for which that Minister has been elected, and has received Cabinet appointment, to serve.

Further, our provincial police have been created and paid for by us, the people of Ontario, to which the police are accountable. In my view, our OPP – the fine men and women in uniform – ultimately report to all of us through our elected representatives and our Ontario government.

The reason I ask these questions is because, for close to 22 months, I have been asked time and time again– Why are the OPP acting the way they are and, who is telling them to act this way? Why are there OPP ‘no go zones’ on Haldimand County roads? Why are there illegal smoke shops and gunfire on provincial highways? Why are people treated differently depending on which side of the barricades they are on? Why does there appear to be two-tier justice, and a policy of catch and release?

During my question to Minister Bartolucci, I cited  subsection 17[2], of the Ontario Police Services Act that states  the OPP is subject to the Solicitor General’s direction – the Solicitor General is the Minister of Community Safety and Corrections. The Minister again attempted to dodge the question, this time suggesting that I was “dead wrong” if I was inferring that government interfere. To be clear, I was not inferring anything, but rather asking questions that constituents  are asking of me.

Area residents have the same right to be informed about issues of ministerial responsibility as they have in any other area of important public policy. Clarity, transparency and accountability vis-a-vis the police /government relationship are essential to our fundamental democratic principles and values.

It is a delicate balance – but one that must be maintained.

I will continue to fight for transparency, accountability and answers to the questions and issues that are allowed to fester in the absence of a rule of law.