By now, the onion skin layers of the Toronto G20 case have been peeled back to the rotten core. We know the who and whys of what was the most egregious abuse of human rights in Canada since the signing of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The culpability of those responsible cannot be denied.
But who will charge those responsible? Who will bring them to justice? Who will ensure the proper punishment? Will the punishment be sufficient to dissuade those who think of repeating these heinous crimes? Should we charge them at the World Court in The Hague for crimes against humanity?
Then we could start with Prime Minister Harper. It was his cavalier and excessive approach to the G8 and G20 that caused the trouble that followed. Mind you, Tony Clement can probably be charged under the Criminal Code for his abuse of government funding in his electoral district.
Harper initiated the problems by trying to cocoon his G8 and G20 buddies. He could have held the meetings in Iqualuit and they would not have seen anything different. (Other than the make believe Muskoka lake might have been frozen.)
Premier Dalton McGuinty is a co-conspirator. His Attorney General, at the time, shares the blame. As chief law officer for the province, he issued, through the Ontario Cabinet, an outdated, 1939 war-time law that did not apply to the circumstances. His government remained silent and culpable when the police were improperly enforcing the wrong law.
And that leaves the final culprit: Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair. The man should have been fired immediately. In asking the Attorney General for the appropriate law, he knew what he was given was wrong. He did not question a law that was obviously superseded by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. He did not even seek clarification of a law that was not what he asked about.
Blair earned a black eye for the Toronto Police that the force did not deserve. It is assuring to know that the police follow orders so well but they also had the right to question orders such as they were given. Individual officers who did not question their orders can be charged with brutality, abuse of rights, illegal incarceration and a myriad of other affronts to their fellow citizens.
Mr. Harper, Mr. McGuinty and Mr. Blair cannot be allowed to sweep this under the rug. It must be made clear that this can never be allowed to happen in our Canada.
-30-
All material in this blog is copyright © Peter Lowry
Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to [email protected]