Toronto has not lost a police chief. It has gained freedom. It has left an era of bad policing behind. It has new opportunities for better policing. It has new opportunities for discouraging crime, fewer gangs, fewer guns, easing of trouble spots and better relations between the police and the people they serve and protect.
Bill Blair has left police headquarters. He no longer held sway with the police services board. His services were no longer needed. He remained unindicted for the fiasco of the G-8. He remained intransigent on carding. That fancy uniform is committed to the closet of yesterday’s failures.
There is no basking in the glories and hopes of early years. His day is done. He can hardly follow in the path of his predecessor Julian Fantino. No more bombast and posturing is needed thank you. Fantino is no politician and Blair is less.
There was some talk of an electoral district in Toronto being held for the civilian Mr. Blair. It is hard to imagine why. There is not a seat in the city that would be likely to elect him for any party. The New Democrats would laugh at the idea of him running for that party. He lacks any connection with the workers of our society. The Conservatives are of course shy in this case after that party’s experience with Julian Fantino. What party would want to make that mistake twice?
And that just leaves the Liberals. It is not that Leader Justin Trudeau has not made some bad decisions in the past but he keeps telling us that the riding associations are free to decide. That is why many Liberals expect to defeat Eve Adams with a better candidate in Elinton-Lawrence. There are easy guesses on where Justin Trudeau’s organizational geniuses might want to stick Blair but why cause unnecessary upset.
Trudeau would create a serious revolt among the party if he insisted on having Blair. It would hardly be worth the trouble. Real Liberals pride themselves on their support for individual rights and Blair is no poster boy for any kind of human rights. It would be a serious rift in the party in an area that Trudeau has to count on for solid support.
As for Mr. Blair: if he is not going to be charged for his abuse of human rights during the G-8 summit, then he would be smart to fade away. Maybe there is a need for a night-watchman somewhere. Night work would keep him out of the public eye.
-30-
Copyright 2015 © Peter Lowry
Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to [email protected]