G20 inquiry opens with outrage—but will it give the city a sense of catharsis?
Toronto is still smarting from the chaos of last year’s G20 meeting. Instead of a serious public reckoning, half-hearted attempts at accountability keep popping up in bits and pieces at different levels of government. Given the results of the recent election, a federal inquiry is highly unlikely, and although Ontario launched a provincial one into the Public Works Protection Act (read: the G20 fence law), Dalton McGuinty recently reiterated that he wouldn’t call anything for beyond that. So all the city’s concerned citizens are left with is the Toronto Police Services Board’s probe into its own forces, which kicked off with no shortage of outrage and indignation yesterday at Metro Hall.
Quoth the Toronto Sun:
There was disturbing story after story presented at the first public hearing into last June’s G20, but the overwhelming reoccurring theme was talk of trust.
People — at this hearing in the old Metro Hall lobby, at least — no longer trust Toronto Police.
Retired justice John Morden was very clear his first of three public meetings this month was not meant to be a forum for specific complaints about Toronto Police but more on taking a look at the role civilian oversight should play in overseeing large public events.
But realizing the pent-up emotions, he let people have their say.
And, boy, did they ever. Last summer’s stories came out all over again, ranging from the merely disturbing to the truly abusive to the kinda kooky. Of course, sharing stories is one thing; holding to account those who may or may not have abused their power, apparently, is another.
• Outrage over G20 [Toronto Sun]
• Police behaviour at G20 decried at inquiry [National Post]
• Toronto police G20 probe a ‘cat and mouse’ game, lawyer warns [Globe and Mail]
• Citizens urge review judge to get to bottom of G20 [Toronto Star]
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Toronto is still smarting from the chaos of last year’s G20 meeting. Instead of a serious public reckoning, half-hearted attempts at accountability keep popping up in bits and pieces at different levels of government. Given the results of the recent election, a federal inquiry is highly unlikely, and although Ontario launched a provincial one into the Public Works Protection Act (read: the G20 fence law), Dalton McGuinty recently reiterated that he wouldn’t call anything for beyond that. So all the city’s concerned citizens are left with is the Toronto Police Services Board’s probe into its own forces, which kicked off with no shortage of outrage and indignation yesterday at Metro Hall.
Quoth the Toronto Sun:
There was disturbing story after story presented at the first public hearing into last June’s G20, but the overwhelming reoccurring theme was talk of trust.
People — at this hearing in the old Metro Hall lobby, at least — no longer trust Toronto Police.
Retired justice John Morden was very clear his first of three public meetings this month was not meant to be a forum for specific complaints about Toronto Police but more on taking a look at the role civilian oversight should play in overseeing large public events.
But realizing the pent-up emotions, he let people have their say.
And, boy, did they ever. Last summer’s stories came out all over again, ranging from the merely disturbing to the truly abusive to the kinda kooky. Of course, sharing stories is one thing; holding to account those who may or may not have abused their power, apparently, is another.
• Outrage over G20 [Toronto Sun]
• Police behaviour at G20 decried at inquiry [National Post]
• Toronto police G20 probe a ‘cat and mouse’ game, lawyer warns [Globe and Mail]
• Citizens urge review judge to get to bottom of G20 [Toronto Star]){kind=link}