My Journey by Olivia Chow

Author:Olivia Chow [Chow, Olivia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781443428316
Publisher: HarperCollins Canada
Published: 2014-09-11T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 11

Bully in Black

I’m a committed progressive and social democrat. But just because I’m progressive doesn’t mean I have to roll over in the face of bullies.

I don’t like bullies. I never have. For all of my adult life, I have worked hard to stop schoolyard bullies, political bullies, corporate bullies or anyone who uses power or wealth to lord over people who possess neither.

In one case, the bully I was up against was dressed in a black suit during all public appearances. I’m speaking about the head of the association that represented the Toronto police force in 2000. I want to make it clear: I do support the Toronto police force. The men and women who protect our neighbourhoods do so proudly, and they perform an important service. But in the year 2000 I found myself up against their de facto union, the Toronto Police Association, where all of the union’s executives were dressed in black.

That year, the association launched a telemarketing campaign to solicit funds from Toronto’s citizens, with the money raised going to the police association itself. And how would the money be used? To support politicians who in turn supported the police, and to challenge politicians who dared hold the police accountable to the Toronto Police Services Board (which handles civilian oversight of the police).

The scheme would have involved the sale of wallet cards or car decals, with gold, silver and bronze decals going for, respectively, $100, $75 and $25. The decals featured the words “Toronto Police Association,” “Gold Booster” (if you opted for the gold), a red maple leaf, the scales of justice and an outline of the city that included the CN Tower. Those who purchased decals would be encouraged to stick them proudly on the bumper, dashboard or window of their car.

You can imagine the pitfalls of such a thing and how it might leave the wrong impression. Let’s say you’re a driver who has run a red light or been caught speeding. The officer who pulls you over notices as he or she approaches your vehicle that you have a gold sticker—or no sticker at all. Does the officer reduce the fine because of that decal, or issue the harshest fine possible because you are decal-less? I don’t think police officers think that way, but the temptation to be swayed, at least, is there. As for citizens who donated to the campaign, they might be under the impression that these decals had special power to exempt them from obeying the law.

Operation True Blue pitted the Toronto Police Association, which then represented the seven thousand unionized members of the Toronto Police Service (including five thousand officers), against the chief of police and the police services board. The union wanted Operation True Blue to continue; as a city councillor interested in policing matters, I wanted it stopped in its tracks. I firmly believe that the cornerstone of a democracy is civilian control over policing. Elected officials should not be beholden to the police, the RCMP or the army.

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