“WHERE’S MONTE?” ON FANTINO ISSUE, ASKS DUNLOP
Sorbara’s support purely political

(Queen’s Park) – Garfield Dunlop, P.C. Critic for Community Safety and Correctional Services, today criticized Monte Kwinter for ignoring Toronto Police Chief Julian Fantino’s current contract complications, while Ontario’s Finance Minister defends the Chief in the media.

“Greg Sorbara has accused Toronto Mayor David Miller of washing his hands of the situation, which is exactly what Minister Kwinter is doing,” said Dunlop. “The police services board in our province’s largest city is in complete chaos, but the Minister responsible refuses to take any action whatsoever.”

On June 25, Dunlop issued a press release urging Minister Kwinter to use his powers under Part II, Section 22 of the Police Services Act to ask the Ontario Civilian Commission on Police Services (OCCPS) to investigate the Toronto Police Services Board. Two hours later, Minister Kwinter released a statement in which he commented that, “The decision not to renew Chief Julian Fantino’s contract rests exclusively with the Toronto Police Services Board.”

“The Finance Minister is out there saying that Fantino has not been properly treated by the Miller administration,” said Dunlop. “Yet his Cabinet colleague, the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services, has been silent, except for a patronizing ‘best wishes’ delivered in his June 25th statement.”

Dunlop believes that Sorbara’s comments were fueled by a concern that the popular Fantino might take a run at Sorbara’s Vaughan-King-Aurora seat in the next provincial election if he does not remain Toronto’s police chief.

“Our Party has always been strong on law-and-order, so it would be a natural fit for Fantino,” said Dunlop. “His candidacy for the Ontario P.C. Party in Vaughan-King-Aurora would ruin Mr. Sorbara’s re-election chances in 2007.”

Contacts:
Garfield Dunlop
(705) 327-4500 (cell)