Toronto Police ask the OPP to oversee the investigation into Rob Ford
Project Brazen 2, the Toronto Police investigation into Rob Ford’s activities, has always been a little awkward, because the police service and the mayor’s office are intertwined. Ford has sway over the police budget. In that sense, today’s announcement that police chief Bill Blair has called in the Ontario Provincial Police to provide oversight is long overdue. Even so, the timing is understandable.
A press release issued earlier this afternoon says that OPP commissioner Chris Lewis has agreed to a personal request by Blair to oversee Project Brazen 2. The release quotes a letter sent from Blair to Lewis, in which the chief writes: “I am taking this step to avoid the distractions that have assumed such recent prominence. The only public interest here is the continued investigation, without fear or favour, into evidence of possible criminality.”
By “distractions,” Blair almost certainly means the continuing open hostilities between him and the Fords. Both the mayor and his brother Doug Ford have been attempting to characterize the chief as an opportunist with a personal grudge. Provincial oversight will help Project Brazen 2 avoid the appearance of being nothing more than a political assassination, although it’s unclear why the chief didn’t head off these types of questions by announcing a similar move weeks or months ago.
![](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://torontolife.com/city/toronto-police-ask-opp-oversee-investigation-rob-ford/&title=Toronto Police ask the OPP to oversee the investigation into Rob Ford&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/blair-doug-rob-624x395.jpg&description=[caption id="attachment_262581" align="alignnone" width="656"] (Images: Blair: Courtesy of the Toronto Police Service; Fords: Christopher Drost)[/caption]
Project Brazen 2, the Toronto Police investigation into Rob Ford's activities, has always been a little awkward, because the police service and the mayor's office are intertwined. Ford has sway over the police budget. In that sense, today's announcement that police chief Bill Blair has called in the Ontario Provincial Police to provide oversight is long overdue. Even so, the timing is understandable.
A press release issued earlier this afternoon says that OPP commissioner Chris Lewis has agreed to a personal request by Blair to oversee Project Brazen 2. The release quotes a letter sent from Blair to Lewis, in which the chief writes: "I am taking this step to avoid the distractions that have assumed such recent prominence. The only public interest here is the continued investigation, without fear or favour, into evidence of possible criminality."
By "distractions," Blair almost certainly means the continuing open hostilities between him and the Fords. Both the mayor and his brother Doug Ford have been attempting to characterize the chief as an opportunist with a personal grudge. Provincial oversight will help Project Brazen 2 avoid the appearance of being nothing more than a political assassination, although it's unclear why the chief didn't head off these types of questions by announcing a similar move weeks or months ago.){kind=link}
It is oversight not oversee. The TPS will still run the investigation. Same people reporting to Chief Blair through the chain of command. Eh!
Full Definition of OVERSIGHT
a : watchful and responsible care
b : regulatory supervision
o·ver·see
ˌōvərˈsē/
verb
verb: oversee; 3rd person present: oversees; past tense: oversaw; gerund or present participle: overseeing; past participle: overseen
1.
supervise (a person or work), esp. in an official capacity.
“a trustee appointed to oversee Corrie’s finances”
Oversee is the correct word to use.
you keep f**king with Blair , ford brothers, u soon will find out who is boss. plus if the rcmp takes over blair is not screwing around what ever he has on u ford u r pretty well f**ked. so quit pressing ur luck before u get dry f**ked. its going to happen anyway and it was going to be done. so enjoy ur 15 minute because by the sounds of it ur going to be doing alot more time then that. good luck.
When the article says that there are “open hostilities” between the Fords and Blair, that suggests that it’s a two-way street. Is it? Has Blair done anything openly hostile to the Fords? I don’t think so. He expressed his displeasure, once in total, at being publicly called a you know what – that’s all. So in fact what we have here is two bullies insulting and lying about someone who isn’t hitting back. Let’s not pretend that there is any fairness or mutuality in what the Ford’s are doing.
It’s time for the Fords to realize that public behavior like that of Rob Ford cannot be tolerated by the people of the city of Toronto. It is humiliating, insulting to their intelligence, and just distasteful. Give it up boys, it’s time to go to the cottage, and stay there.