PRE-TRIAL POLICE LAWSUIT WRANGLING GOING ON

It's not just the evidence and nothing but the evidence. It's more about the scope of the trial and what you can get excluded from ever being part of the trial. This is what the lawyers for the regional Police and the civilian Police Services Board are now attempting. Today's Waterloo Region Record carries the following story titled "Prof's evidence to proceed in police lawsuit". It appears that a University of Waterloo prof who consulted with Chief Bryan Larkin on various matters will get her day in court. The Force's lawyers wanted her testimony denied at trial claiming that she was either unqualified or her opinions irrelevant on matters directly related to female officers who had confided in her about police wrongdoing which she later discussed with the Chief in hopes of improving the situation.

Among other tidbits to which the public are now privy is the one about the senior Regional Police Officer running down the road naked after being caught in a compromising situation with a married woman (not his wife). The Judge decided against allowing that evidence to proceed despite the Plaintiff's lawyers suggesting that it indicated a double standard whereby female officers were disciplined for minor matters whereas senior, male officers were not disciplined even for public, major breeches of either decorum or the law. Imagine that, males in authority actually flagrantly abusing their authority. Who knew? The reality is that human beings in positions of authority with little or no accountability will always abuse that authority in favour of their own perceived interests. Surprise! Surprise!

DID MIKE HARRIS TELL A WHITE LIE, A DAMNED LIE OR NO LIE AT ALL?

Hmm this is an interesting one. On several media over the weekend as well as in today's Waterloo Region Record is an article advising that Michael Harris, a local Conservative MPP, has announced that he will not be running in the June provincial election for health reasons. These health reasons are in regards to upcoming eye surgery for a condition he's had for a couple of decades.

That said I received a phone call this afternoon from a friend advising that hot off the press and in the local media today is an item stating that Mr. Harris has been kicked out of the Conservative caucus for some unspecified improper conduct towards a woman. I don't have the specifics although allegedly they will be on this evening's 6 pm. CKCO-TV Kitchener News. The implication for me at least is that there may be some all too familiar allegations of the "Me Too" variety.

I further emphasize that as of right now I have not first hand seen this on the news. I might also add that the friend who called me is somewhat skeptical and is even suggesting that this could be some form of payback for Mr. Harris supporting Christine Elliot in the recent Conservative leadership campaign. I don't know which would be worse: this whole thing being dirty, nasty politics or there actually being some rude or inappropriate behaviour on Mr. Harris's part.

Finally if it turns out that there is some evidence of misconduct, has Mr. Harris exacerbated his political future with his claims of health issues forcing him out of provincial politics? In the alternative if he is cleared of any wrongdoing will what appears to be an ingenuous and convenient excuse for not running, come back and bite him?

"THE $1.27M "BAD APPLE"

The above title is taken from a report written by Kelly Donovan in regards to police claims that there are only a few bad apples within the police service who need to be corrected. Her report advises that through a Freedom of Information request the Waterloo Regional Police have spent $1.27 million on ONE law firm to cover Labour Relations matters between 2009 and 2017. That is an ongoing, awfully large chunk of money to be spending on lawyers. She also includes a graph which indicates that the spending has hugely escalated since 2009 and is now currently in the $225,00 per year range. Ms. Donovan's point is that "Ineffective oversight and poor governance are costing the Ontario taxpayer millions of dollars and ethical integrity.". Keep further in mind that there are about 60 municipal police forces in Ontario. Many such as London, Toronto, Peel and Ottawa police services have long histories of internal complaints and lawsuits regarding discriminatory behaviour and harassment of officers. Exactly how many unnecessary millions of dollars per year are all our combined municipal, provincial and even federal police forces costing Ontario taxpayers? By unnecessary costs I'm referring to costs incurred due to systemic racism, homophobia and harassment? These costs should also bring home to taxpayers the human suffering and accompanying costs to individuals mistreated by the behaviour and poor governance of senior police administrators. Then of course above and beyond reprehensible police behaviour towards their own employees is the no small matter of some, hopefully few, police officers behaviour towards members of the public who are either marginalized or incapable of paying huge sums of money to lawyers to protect their rights. It is less difficult to believe that this occasionally occurs when we learn that the senior officers at the top apparently have had no problem existing with ongoing disgusting behaviour within their ranks.

WATERLOO REGIONAL POLICE SHOOT MAN BY 401

Well it certainly isn't much of a story on the front page of yesterday's Waterloo Region Record. The title is "Show me your hands ! Now!" Also the story today doesn't make important facts any clearer. The key question is whether or not there was any justification for shooting the suspect. In other words was he shot simply because he was outrunning the police or did he have a weapon in his hands and refused to drop it. That is clear as mud after two articles in the Record. Today's headline talks about the suspect having a weapon "on him" but also states that two rifles were left in the stolen van and perhaps a crossbow was missing. Well news flash folks, a crossbow isn't remotely a concealed weapon. Either he had it in his hands or he didn't because he certainly didn't have it in his pocket or the waistband of his trousers.

The allegations are that the suspect who was shot in the leg had stolen the van and two rifles and a crossbow from a Hamilton residence. None of that on its' own justifies shooting him. It sure seems as if the police want to keep things murky and let the SIU sort things out. Unfortunately unless there's been a recent change the SIU have a history of being ignored and disrespected by many police forces. I believe the Tulloch Commission may have made recommendations to improve that a couple of years ago but whether or not they are as yet law I do not know.

COURTHOUSE RALLY at 12 NOON TOMORROW

A local lawyer has publicly blasted the system and procedures around Coroner's Inquests in Ontario. Davin Charney who is representing the family of Beau Baker who was fatally shot in Kitchener three years ago had the following to say regarding delayed inquests often for years: "The longer you wait, the less value there is to the process.". Furthermore he stated "In the U.S. if there's a fatal shooting, the next day they're releasing in-car cameras or video from bystanders". He added "And here it's a coverup for years and years until maybe nobody cares anymore. It seems like in Canada we're just way behind in terms of the public having access to information about these things and I really think that entirely protects the police."

Well Mr. Charney certainly tells it like it is. There is no good reason for taking three years to hold an Inquest into a police shooting of a disturbed individual who called the police for help, not to be shot and killed because he was holding a small knife allegedly. The family have a right to know all the facts and all the details. Justice delayed is justice denied and this case is but one of a number which smell here in Ontario.

The front page article in today's Waterloo Region Record is titled "Family of man killed by police want closure".