Mr Garfield Dunlop (Simcoe North):
My question today is for the Minister of Transportation.
On May 6, I asked you a very clear question.
I asked you to name the specific police agencies
which you consulted before drafting Bill 73.
This is the act that refers to specific weights,
heights and ages of children while in transit.
In order to enforce Bill 73, it will require
a lot of resources by our police services. You
responded, "Yes ... I have talked to the
police forces and they're very supportive of
this legislation." Minister, please specify
by name exactly which police services or associations
you consulted before you drafted Bill 73.
Hon Harinder S. Takhar (Minister of
Transportation): I don't have all the
names with me. I will be more than pleased to
share those with the honourable member.
Interjection: Name one of
them.
Hon Mr Takhar: Peel police.
I talked to them personally.
Mr Dunlop: Minister, I'm sorry
for that answer. The Police Association of Ontario
was not consulted on this legislation, and it
represents 22,000 uniformed and civilian members
of police services across our province, nor
was the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police,
which has more than 1,000 members. In fact,
the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police
was asked to send a representative to act as
a human prop at your press conference but has
yet to even form an official opinion on the
legislation. They're doing that, as we speak,
at a conference.
Minister, why would you tell this House, and
why would you tell Ontarians, that police were
consulted on this legislation when in fact they
weren't? Why would you do that to the men and
women who are expected to enforce the legislation
without the 1,000 police officers you and Dalton
McGuinty promised to the citizens of our province?
Hon Mr Takhar: Last week, I
was at the opening of a police centre in Peel
region, and there were police forces from almost
all of Ontario present there. Most of them complimented
me on the introduction of this legislation.
Not only that, but all the other stakeholders
have been very supportive of this legislation,
and I'm really proud that we were able to introduce
this legislation which, if passed, will save
lives here in Ontario.
