Opening comments: More at the end.
This is about Chief Fantino's effort to require those who would demonstration to get a permit from the police. The police would control, like in a police state or dictatorship, who can speak out against the government.
Yes, we are talking about in Canada.
Any ways, if you think I tore a strip off him in my deputation you read what others said.
Toronto police Services Board
ATTN: Deirdre Williams, Board Administrator.
40 College St. Fax.# 416 808-8082
Toronto. Ont. M5G 2J3
RE: Deputation regarding item (A), (B) & (C), of the Mar. 27, Toronto police Services Board agenda, Amendments to the Criminal Code and request to enact City of Toronto By-Law regarding Demonstrations.
Dear Sir: Mar. 26, 2003
I am strongly against all that Chief Fantino is recommending and enclose a number of newspaper articles to show how, in the past he has abused his power as the Chief of police for Toronto as well as to support the case that his recommendation are anti-democratic. What the Toronto police Services Board should be asking for is a full disclosure from Chief Fantino regarding the search first ask questions/charge later policy/procedure that the Toronto police force has undertaken, starting Oct. 16/01 and appears to be used at demonstrations and to this day. It could be called Project 8G. The fact is that it is a violation of the highest law of the land, the Charter of Rights and the police should never be allowed to adopt unlawful searches as a means to crowd control and hide it from the public. Currently the police are not presenting for public review their actions and methods used for these unlawful searches, which were never reviewed or authorized by any court or the Toronto police Services Board. In a democracy and in an election year, this should be a must.
The above alone would be enough for full disclosure but the most important detail is one that relates directly to Chief Fantino recommendations, that being the increasing of penalties for those charges at demonstrations. It is a fact that people who refused to willingly submit to Toronto police unlawful searches, Oct. 16/01, were often assaulted by the Toronto police and false charges laid backed up by false reports. To even consider handing Chief Fantino more power to abuse should be considered a crime against democracy.
Further more, it needs to be noted how he corrupts and perverts his task of being the Chief of police for Toronto. As a result of racial profiling being done by the officers under his command, Town Hall meetings were held. They were billed as a way for the community to express their concerns to the Chief and try to make the Toronto police force accountable to the public. Chief Fantino soon turned them into hail the Chief pro-police rallies by banning those who speak the truth against the police. At one such meeting I asked the Chief to come clean and help those in the public that his officers have harmed but he was neither professional or responsible enough in his duties to even look into the matter. The record also shows Toronto
police were to hit Canadians as hard as they can at demonstration, in other words told to hurt and harm Canadians as much as they could. Does this sound like a group that should be allowed more power to harm Canadians?
The issue of profiling regarding those who show up at demonstrations reared it ugly head at the Peace demonstration last Saturday when Toronto police unlawfully searched a man who was only carrying a red flag. The police have stated they were searching those at the Oct. 16/01 demonstration as some OCAP demonstrations in the past have become unruly but now there is proof they are out of control when it comes
to expanding who will be the victim of a unlawful search by way of political profiling.
Clearly, the Toronto police, under Chief Fantino would abuse such power as they are asking for. The wisdom of the ages says the road to hell is paved with good intentions, in this case it is the road to dictatorship. Many countries, are willing to endure demonstrations that casue damage, broken windows, burning cars, as they have suffered under dictatorships and know the damage done to peoples lives by dictatorship is far greater then some minor property damage. In other words acceptable losses and loses to its citizens rights, that translate into abusive police powers are unacceptable. They know from experience, let us learn from history so we need not repeat history!
The Toronto police Services Board should require the Chief to state clearly how his actions will make our democracy stronger as from what I can see he hopes to rule by fear and terror, becoming the same thing he claims to be protecting us from. There is a line between protecting Canadians from terrorism and on the other side, Canadians being terrorized by their own government. Does the Toronto police Services Board know where this line is, do you have that wisdom? Can you say under what circumstances you would be come what you claim to protect us from?
Lastly, the right to demonstrate is one of democracies key stones, a political right that the police and their bias profiling must not be allowed a controlling power over, our political process. It can not be left up to the police to decide (behind closed doors), who will be allowed to protest and who can not. To do so would be to become the very same kind of government that many thousands give their lives to replace with a democracy. A democracy is a balance between chaos and order too much of either will destroy a society and country. In this case the Chief Fantino is trying to say he is going to protect Toronto from any loses from demonstrations, to do this he must control everything and every one, in other words, rule over us as a dictator would. We live in the age of the big lie, every day we listen to news reports saying how the USA will not live in fear, followed by threat alerts and a whole host of reasons to be afraid. In a democracy law and order must serve justice and justice places reasonable limits on law and order, what Chief Fantino asks for is too extreme.
What next, public whippings by Toronto police?
Please find enclosed:
1). Eye Mar. 13/03.
2). Now Mar. 13/03.
3). Star Mar. 22/03.
4). Star Mar. 26/03.
5). My transcript of a police town Hall meeting Mar. 4/03.
6). Now Oct. 25/01.
7). Two picture from the Mar. 22/03 Peace demonstration. [ one is posted here, show the Toronto officer taking (stealing) a flag from youth]
Sincerely yours - Donald Barber
Do you want to do something about this?
Before the election and get this issue talked about?
Then go to the Media page, let the media and Ontario's political party's know how you feel.
[COMMENTS BY DON B. - ]
