Julian Fantino
Encyclopedia
Julian Fantino is a retired police official and the elected Member of the Parliament of Canada for the riding of Vaughan
following a November 29, 2010 by-election. On January 4, 2011, Fantino was named Minister of State for Seniors
and on May 18, 2011 he was promoted to his current portfolio of Associate Minister of National Defence
.
Prior to entering politics, Fantino was the Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police
from 2006 to 2010, Toronto
's Chief of Police
from 2000 to 2005, and Ontario
's Commissioner of Emergency Management from 2005 until 2006, and also served as chief of police of London, Ontario
from 1991 to 1998, and of York Region from 1998 until 2000. Prior to his London appointment, he had been a Toronto police officer since 1969.
with his family when he was 11 years old.
at Yorkdale Shopping Centre
in suburban Toronto. He volunteered as an Auxiliary Police Officer for the Metro Toronto Police from 1964 to 1969 and then joined the force as a Police Constable. He was a member of the Drug Squad and was promoted to Detective Constable. He subsequently served with Criminal Intelligence and then the Homicide Squad before being promoted to Divisional Commander and then Acting Staff Superintendent of Detectives.
, chair of the Toronto Police Services Board
, the body overseeing the Toronto Police service. Conversations between Maloney and Eng were illegally recorded despite a court order that only the first minute of Maloney's conversations were to be monitored so as to determine whether the individual who he was talking to was on the list of those being investigated.
in 1991.
men were arrested for involvement in a purported child pornography
ring. While several men were eventually convicted of crimes not related to the stated purpose of the investigation, such as drug possession
and prostitution
, no child pornography ring was ever found.
Journalist Gerald Hannon later published a piece in The Globe and Mail
accusing Fantino of mounting an anti-gay witch hunt. In response, Fantino filed a complaint with the Ontario Press Council
, which ultimately ruled that the Globe should have more clearly labelled Hannon's article as an opinion piece.
Fantino says that he is "not anti-gay or homophobic" and was simply arresting lawbreakers engaging in "a sick, perverted crime".
as Chief of York Regional Police
in 1998. His tenure was brief and he returned to the Toronto Police Service
two years later. He was succeeded as chief by Robert Middaugh.
in a photo which featured him posing in his police uniform with five other models dressed as the Village People
standing behind him.
Fantino appeared to have little patience for protesters: he wanted them to ask police for permission before holding demonstrations. In one report, he commented "a problem is now arising where portions of the public believe that Dundas Square
is a public space." In his new position with the OPP, Fantino took an aggressive posture with a native protest blocking a major highway: he stated he "would not/could not tolerate the 401 being closed all day." However the commander on site decided against a raid as "[he was] not about to put people at risk for a piece of pavement."
In 2003, Fantino criticized the effectiveness of the Canadian gun registry
.
In one case, drug squad officers are alleged to have beaten and robbed suspected drug dealers. In another, plainclothes officers were charged with accepting bribes to help bars dodge liquor inspections. In the third, a group of officers who advocated on behalf of a drug-addicted car thief faced internal charges.
Two of these cases involve the sons of former police chief William McCormack
, and came to light not as a result of investigations by Toronto police, but due to a Royal Canadian Mounted Police
(RCMP) investigation into gangster activity which inadvertently uncovered evidence of wrongdoing by Toronto police officers. Mike McCormack was later cleared of all wrongdoing due to a lack of evidence.
In December 2009, Fantino was accused during a related court case of having "unplugged" a special task force investigating corruption charges against the Toronto Police Service's narcotics squad ignoring the task force's suspicions that another of the force's drug squads was corrupt. Lawyer Julian Falconer argued in court that "When Chief Fantino declared there were only a few bad apples, he did not deliver the straight goods," and shut down the investigation before it expanded as part of a damage control campaign.
In March 2005, the CBC
announced that they had obtained documents via the Access to Information Act showing that between 1998 and 2005 Toronto had spent $30,633,303.63 settling lawsuits against police. Norm Gardner said the settlement costs, which amount to about $5 million a year over six years, were expected, given the number of confrontations police face, suggesting that "people think they are going to get paid off."
ruling, but as he refused to vacate his seat the three required votes for renewal were far more difficult to obtain. Conservative politicians on Toronto City Council
responded with a "Save Fantino" campaign, and the board was deadlocked on the issue of beginning the search for Fantino's replacement.
Many Fantino supporters claimed that Miller was openly hostile to Fantino. Miller had ignored calls to pressure the police board after it voted against Fantino's renewal, yet Miller subsequently contacted the board looking for a role in hiring the next police chief, although the latter request was not granted.
Former deputy police chief Mike Boyd took over as interim chief of police on March 1, 2005. On April 6, another former deputy chief, Bill Blair
, was named Fantino's permanent successor.
Dalton McGuinty
. This move was criticized by the opposition parties in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
, both for the lack of transparency in the hiring process and for the perception that the appointment was primarily motivated by the desire to avoid having Fantino run as a Progressive Conservative
candidate in the 2007 provincial election
against Finance Minister Greg Sorbara
. However, Sorbara had also blamed Miller for failing to renew Fantino's contract, so this appointment could have also been seen as the Ontario Liberals' show of support for Fantino.
on October 12, 2006 by the provincial Liberal government; initially for a two year term. His appointment was criticized by First Nations
groups. In March 2008 his contract was extended until October 2009. In June 2009 his contract was further extended until July 2010 so that he could oversee the province's security contingent at the 2010 G8 Summit in Huntsville, Ontario
.
He received much public attention over highly publicized child pornography
busts, with 21 men arrested in February 2008 and 31 men (some as young as 14) arrested in February 2009. None of the cases has come to trial to date. During his term, Fantino has changed the look of the OPP by ordering that the livery
for police cruisers be changed to a 1960s era black and white pattern.
Commissioner Fantino's salary, for 2009, was $
251,989.44.
. Fantino was criticized for ordering wiretaps of Brant's phone without proper authority and for making provocative comments to Brant during negotiations to end a blockade of the rail line west of Kingston. NDP MPP Peter Kormos
called for Fantino's resignation accusing him of using "pugnacious and bellicose" rhetoric and for engaging in "Rambo-style policing." In the face of defence motions for the police to disclose more evidence about their conduct the Crown agreed to drop the most serious charges against Brant in exchange for a plea bargain
resulting in a light sentence. Fantino was also criticized for his role in the Caledonia land dispute after he was accused of sending e-mails to local politicians accusing them of encouraging anti-police rallies by non-Natives.
upheld the lower court decision saying an informed person viewing the matter realistically and practically would not conclude there was any apprehension of bias on the part of the adjudicator. The OPP dropped the disciplinary case against the two officers on December 15, 2009, the same day Fantino was due to be cross examined by defence lawyer Julian Falconer. The entire process cost more than $500,000 in public money.
, who alleged that Fantino was illegally influencing or attempting to influence municipal officials in regards to the Caledonia land dispute. The charge against Fantino was stayed in February 2010 as the Crown said there was no reasonable prospect of conviction.
as leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
Fantino's name was floated as a possible candidate in the in the ensuing leadership election
. He ended speculation that he was interested in the job with a letter to the Globe and Mail.
There were rumours that he may run for Mayor
of Vaughan, Ontario
in the October 25, 2010 municipal election following his retirement from the OPP. An April 2010 Toronto Star
-Angus Reid
poll indicates that Fantino would have the support of 43% of voters leading incumbent Mayor Linda Jackson
who has 22% support. In an interview with CFRB on July 9, 2010, Fantino announced that he would not be running for mayor of Vaughan.
in the riding of Vaughan
. It had been reported Prime Minister Stephen Harper
had personally spoken to Fantino in early October about running as a Conservative and that the former police commissioner was "leaning" toward running. A federal by-election
was necessary after the resignation of Liberal MP Maurizio Bevilacqua
. Fantino was acclaimed as Conservative Party's candidate on October 14 and the by-election was called for November 29, 2010.
During the campaign, he was dogged by a group called "Conservatives Against Fantino" led by Gary McHale
and Mark Vandermaas, two activists critical of Fantino's role in the Caledonia controversy. The group, which is picketing Fantino's campaign office and events, registered as a third party with Elections Canada
under the name "Against Fantino" (after their use of the term "Conservatives" had been disallowed by the agency) in order to be permitted to spend money on printing and distributing 60,000 anti-Fantino pamphlets.
Fantino was elected to the Canadian House of Commons
on November 29, 2010 narrowly defeating Liberal candidate Tony Genco. The Globe and Mail noted that Fantino had "beat the Liberals out of one of their safest seats in Ontario, one they had held for 22 years."
On January 4, 2011, Fantino was named as Minister of State for Seniors
. In Prime Minister Harper's cabinet shuffle
following the 2011 federal election Fantino was promoted to Associate Minister of National Defence
.
gain
|align="right"|
Vaughan (electoral district)
Vaughan is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004.The riding covers the fast-growing region of Vaughan north of Toronto....
following a November 29, 2010 by-election. On January 4, 2011, Fantino was named Minister of State for Seniors
Minister of state (Canada)
A Minister of State is a junior cabinet minister in the Canadian Cabinet, usually given specific responsibilities to assist a senior cabinet minister in a specific area....
and on May 18, 2011 he was promoted to his current portfolio of Associate Minister of National Defence
Associate Minister of National Defence (Canada)
The Associate Minister of National Defence is a member of the Canadian cabinet responsible for various files within the defence department as assigned by the Prime Minister or Defence Minister....
.
Prior to entering politics, Fantino was the Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police
Ontario Provincial Police
The Ontario Provincial Police is the Provincial Police service for the province of Ontario, Canada.-Overview:The OPP is the the largest deployed police force in Ontario, and the second largest in Canada. The service is responsible for providing policing services throughout the province in areas...
from 2006 to 2010, Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
's Chief of Police
Chief of police
A Chief of Police is the title typically given to the top official in the chain of command of a police department, particularly in North America. Alternate titles for this position include Commissioner, Superintendent, and Chief constable...
from 2000 to 2005, and Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
's Commissioner of Emergency Management from 2005 until 2006, and also served as chief of police of London, Ontario
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
from 1991 to 1998, and of York Region from 1998 until 2000. Prior to his London appointment, he had been a Toronto police officer since 1969.
Family
Fantino was born in Italy and emigrated to CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
with his family when he was 11 years old.
Early Toronto career
Before joining the Metro Toronto Police, Fantino was a security guardSecurity guard
A security guard is a person who is paid to protect property, assets, or people. Security guards are usually privately and formally employed personnel...
at Yorkdale Shopping Centre
Yorkdale Shopping Centre
Yorkdale Shopping Centre is a large shopping mall in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It contains over 250 stores and is located in the community of Downsview, in North York. It is the fifth largest shopping mall in Canada and also enjoys the highest sales per square foot of any mall in Canada, with...
in suburban Toronto. He volunteered as an Auxiliary Police Officer for the Metro Toronto Police from 1964 to 1969 and then joined the force as a Police Constable. He was a member of the Drug Squad and was promoted to Detective Constable. He subsequently served with Criminal Intelligence and then the Homicide Squad before being promoted to Divisional Commander and then Acting Staff Superintendent of Detectives.
Wiretap controversy
According to an internal police report leaked in 2007, Fantino, as superintendent of detectives in 1991, had ordered a wiretap of lawyer Peter Maloney a police critic and friend of Susan EngSusan Eng
Susan Eng, LL.B. is a Toronto lawyer and former chair of the Metro Toronto Police Services Board from 1991 to 1995.Eng, the daughter of immigrants from China, studied at Jarvis Collegiate Institute and received a Bachelor of Laws degree from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1975...
, chair of the Toronto Police Services Board
Toronto Police Services Board
The Toronto Police Services Board is the civilian oversight of the Toronto Police Service. It was called the Metropolitan Toronto Police Services Board from 1990 until 1998 and the Metropolitan Toronto Police Commission from 1955 until 1990 when the name of the body was changed as a result of...
, the body overseeing the Toronto Police service. Conversations between Maloney and Eng were illegally recorded despite a court order that only the first minute of Maloney's conversations were to be monitored so as to determine whether the individual who he was talking to was on the list of those being investigated.
Departure
After 23 years of service with the Metro Toronto Police, Fantino left to accept an appointment as Police Chief of London, OntarioLondon, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
in 1991.
London Police Service chief (1991-1998)
In London, he presided over the highly publicized and controversial "Project Guardian", in which over two dozen gayGay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
men were arrested for involvement in a purported child pornography
Child pornography
Child pornography refers to images or films and, in some cases, writings depicting sexually explicit activities involving a child...
ring. While several men were eventually convicted of crimes not related to the stated purpose of the investigation, such as drug possession
Drug possession
Drug possession is the crime of having one or more illegal drugs in one's possession, either for personal use, distribution, sale or otherwise. Illegal drugs fall into different categories and sentences vary depending on the amount, type of drug, circumstances, and jurisdiction.A person has...
and prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
, no child pornography ring was ever found.
Journalist Gerald Hannon later published a piece in The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
accusing Fantino of mounting an anti-gay witch hunt. In response, Fantino filed a complaint with the Ontario Press Council
Ontario Press Council
The Ontario Press Council as a voluntary media adjudication body which investigates complaints about newspapers in Ontario, Canada. The council was founded in 1972 with Davidson Dunton as its founding chair. The current chair is Robert G...
, which ultimately ruled that the Globe should have more clearly labelled Hannon's article as an opinion piece.
Fantino says that he is "not anti-gay or homophobic" and was simply arresting lawbreakers engaging in "a sick, perverted crime".
York Regional Police chief (1998–2000)
Fantino return to the Greater Toronto AreaGreater Toronto Area
The Greater Toronto Area is the largest metropolitan area in Canada, with a 2006 census population of 5.5 million. The Greater Toronto Area is usually defined as the central city of Toronto, along with four regional municipalities surrounding it: Durham, Halton, Peel, and York...
as Chief of York Regional Police
York Regional Police
York Regional Police is a law enforcement organization that serves over 1.1 million residents in the York Region, Ontario, Canada, located north of Toronto...
in 1998. His tenure was brief and he returned to the Toronto Police Service
Toronto Police Service
The Toronto Police Service , formerly the Metropolitan Toronto Police, is the police service for the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest municipal police service in Canada and second largest police force in Canada after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police...
two years later. He was succeeded as chief by Robert Middaugh.
Policing controversies
An incident in September 2000 involving five male police officers entering a women's bath house sparked public outrage and drew attention to TPS's poor standing in the gay community. In 2004, Fantino made an attempt to repair relations, primarily by appearing on the cover of fabFab (magazine)
fab is a Canadian magazine which targets the gay community. The magazine publishes biweekly issues in Toronto, Ontario. It publishes alternate weeks to the city's other biweekly gay publication, Xtra!...
in a photo which featured him posing in his police uniform with five other models dressed as the Village People
Village People
Village People is a concept disco group that formed in the United States in 1977, well known for their on-stage costumes depicting American cultural stereotypes, as well as their catchy tunes and suggestive lyrics....
standing behind him.
Fantino appeared to have little patience for protesters: he wanted them to ask police for permission before holding demonstrations. In one report, he commented "a problem is now arising where portions of the public believe that Dundas Square
Dundas Square
Yonge-Dundas Square is a commercial junction and public square, situated at the southeast corner of the intersection of Yonge Street and Dundas Street East in Downtown Toronto...
is a public space." In his new position with the OPP, Fantino took an aggressive posture with a native protest blocking a major highway: he stated he "would not/could not tolerate the 401 being closed all day." However the commander on site decided against a raid as "[he was] not about to put people at risk for a piece of pavement."
In 2003, Fantino criticized the effectiveness of the Canadian gun registry
Canadian gun registry
The Canadian Firearms Registry is part of the Firearms Act and is managed by the Canadian Firearms Program of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police . It requires the registration of all guns in Canada. It was introduced by the Liberal government of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and implemented by...
.
Corruption scandals
Fantino came under increasing scrutiny due to three corruption scandals which broke out during his tenure and his handling of those incidents. Fantino was accused of having tried to deal with these cases out of public view and attempting to shield them from investigation by outside police services.In one case, drug squad officers are alleged to have beaten and robbed suspected drug dealers. In another, plainclothes officers were charged with accepting bribes to help bars dodge liquor inspections. In the third, a group of officers who advocated on behalf of a drug-addicted car thief faced internal charges.
Two of these cases involve the sons of former police chief William McCormack
William J. McCormack
William J. McCormack was Chief of Police of the Metro Toronto Police from 1989 to 1995. He succeeded Jack Marks.McCormack was born in Mauritius...
, and came to light not as a result of investigations by Toronto police, but due to a Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
(RCMP) investigation into gangster activity which inadvertently uncovered evidence of wrongdoing by Toronto police officers. Mike McCormack was later cleared of all wrongdoing due to a lack of evidence.
In December 2009, Fantino was accused during a related court case of having "unplugged" a special task force investigating corruption charges against the Toronto Police Service's narcotics squad ignoring the task force's suspicions that another of the force's drug squads was corrupt. Lawyer Julian Falconer argued in court that "When Chief Fantino declared there were only a few bad apples, he did not deliver the straight goods," and shut down the investigation before it expanded as part of a damage control campaign.
In March 2005, the CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
announced that they had obtained documents via the Access to Information Act showing that between 1998 and 2005 Toronto had spent $30,633,303.63 settling lawsuits against police. Norm Gardner said the settlement costs, which amount to about $5 million a year over six years, were expected, given the number of confrontations police face, suggesting that "people think they are going to get paid off."
Contract expiry
Fantino's contract as police chief expired on February 28, 2005. On June 24, 2004, the police services board announced that it would not be reappointing Fantino due to a 2-2 tie. This was controversial since chair Norm Gardner had been suspended from the five-man board due to a conflict of interestConflict of interest
A conflict of interest occurs when an individual or organization is involved in multiple interests, one of which could possibly corrupt the motivation for an act in the other....
ruling, but as he refused to vacate his seat the three required votes for renewal were far more difficult to obtain. Conservative politicians on Toronto City Council
Toronto City Council
The Toronto City Council is the governing body of the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Members represent wards throughout the city, and are known as councillors....
responded with a "Save Fantino" campaign, and the board was deadlocked on the issue of beginning the search for Fantino's replacement.
Many Fantino supporters claimed that Miller was openly hostile to Fantino. Miller had ignored calls to pressure the police board after it voted against Fantino's renewal, yet Miller subsequently contacted the board looking for a role in hiring the next police chief, although the latter request was not granted.
Former deputy police chief Mike Boyd took over as interim chief of police on March 1, 2005. On April 6, another former deputy chief, Bill Blair
Bill Blair (police chief)
William Sterling "Bill" Blair, is the police chief of Toronto, Ontario. He was selected in a 4–2 vote of the Toronto Police Services Board in early April 2005, and formally appointed Chief of the Toronto Police Service on April 26, 2005. He succeeded Mike Boyd, who had served as interim chief...
, was named Fantino's permanent successor.
Commissioner of Emergency Management (2005–2006)
On February 8, 2005, Fantino was appointed Ontario's commissioner of emergency management by Ontario premierPremier of Ontario
The Premier of Ontario is the first Minister of the Crown for the Canadian province of Ontario. The Premier is appointed as the province's head of government by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and presides over the Executive council, or Cabinet. The Executive Council Act The Premier of Ontario...
Dalton McGuinty
Dalton McGuinty
Dalton James Patrick McGuinty, Jr., MPP is a Canadian lawyer, politician and, since October 23, 2003, the 24th and current Premier of the Canadian province of Ontario....
. This move was criticized by the opposition parties in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
, both for the lack of transparency in the hiring process and for the perception that the appointment was primarily motivated by the desire to avoid having Fantino run as a Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
candidate in the 2007 provincial election
Ontario general election, 2007
The Ontario general election of 2007 was held on October 10, 2007 to elect members of the 39th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada. The Liberals under Dalton McGuinty won the election with a majority government, winning 71 out of a possible 107 seats with 42.2% of the popular...
against Finance Minister Greg Sorbara
Greg Sorbara
Gregory Sam "Greg" Sorbara, MPP a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for Vaughan. Sorbara served as the Minister of Finance in the Ontario Liberal Party government of Premier Dalton McGuinty from 2003 to 2007.He resigned on October 11, 2005, following a police investigation involving...
. However, Sorbara had also blamed Miller for failing to renew Fantino's contract, so this appointment could have also been seen as the Ontario Liberals' show of support for Fantino.
Ontario Provincial Police commissioner (2006-2010)
Fantino was appointed Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police replacing the departed Gwen M. BonifaceGwen M. Boniface
Gwen M. Boniface, COM, OOnt, is a Canadian police officer, lawyer, and the former Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police ending in 2006. She is the first female to hold this position...
on October 12, 2006 by the provincial Liberal government; initially for a two year term. His appointment was criticized by First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
groups. In March 2008 his contract was extended until October 2009. In June 2009 his contract was further extended until July 2010 so that he could oversee the province's security contingent at the 2010 G8 Summit in Huntsville, Ontario
Huntsville, Ontario
Huntsville is a town in the Muskoka Region of Ontario, Canada. It is located north of Toronto and south of North Bay....
.
He received much public attention over highly publicized child pornography
Child pornography
Child pornography refers to images or films and, in some cases, writings depicting sexually explicit activities involving a child...
busts, with 21 men arrested in February 2008 and 31 men (some as young as 14) arrested in February 2009. None of the cases has come to trial to date. During his term, Fantino has changed the look of the OPP by ordering that the livery
Livery
A livery is a uniform, insignia or symbol adorning, in a non-military context, a person, an object or a vehicle that denotes a relationship between the wearer of the livery and an individual or corporate body. Often, elements of the heraldry relating to the individual or corporate body feature in...
for police cruisers be changed to a 1960s era black and white pattern.
Commissioner Fantino's salary, for 2009, was $
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
251,989.44.
Shawn Brant controversy
Fantino was criticized by lawyer Peter Rosenthal during the trial of aboriginal activist Shawn BrantShawn Brant
Shawn Brant is a Native activist who lives on the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, Ontario, Canada.In the 1990s, Brant participated in protests at Oka and Ipperwash. In November 2006, the Mohawk community of Tyendinaga reclaimed a gravel quarry that was licensed to remove over 100,000 tonnes of gravel...
. Fantino was criticized for ordering wiretaps of Brant's phone without proper authority and for making provocative comments to Brant during negotiations to end a blockade of the rail line west of Kingston. NDP MPP Peter Kormos
Peter Kormos
Peter Kormos is a politician in Ontario, Canada. A former lawyer, he was first elected as an Ontario New Democratic Party Member of Provincial Parliament to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the Welland constituency in a 1988 provincial by-election. He replaced veteran NDP legislator Mel...
called for Fantino's resignation accusing him of using "pugnacious and bellicose" rhetoric and for engaging in "Rambo-style policing." In the face of defence motions for the police to disclose more evidence about their conduct the Crown agreed to drop the most serious charges against Brant in exchange for a plea bargain
Plea bargain
A plea bargain is an agreement in a criminal case whereby the prosecutor offers the defendant the opportunity to plead guilty, usually to a lesser charge or to the original criminal charge with a recommendation of a lighter than the maximum sentence.A plea bargain allows criminal defendants to...
resulting in a light sentence. Fantino was also criticized for his role in the Caledonia land dispute after he was accused of sending e-mails to local politicians accusing them of encouraging anti-police rallies by non-Natives.
Internal discipline hearing controversy
In late 2008 and early 2009, Fantino was embroiled in a controversy surrounding his role in an internal discipline case at the OPP in which Fantino was accused of being petty and vindictive in his actions against the officers. Fantino ordered a hearing into the matter but attempted to remove the adjudicator he had appointed on the grounds that the judge was biased against the commissioner due to critical comments he made during testimony by Fantino. Divisional Court rejected Fantino's request. The Ontario Court of AppealOntario Court of Appeal
The Court of Appeal for Ontario is headquartered in downtown Toronto, in historic Osgoode Hall....
upheld the lower court decision saying an informed person viewing the matter realistically and practically would not conclude there was any apprehension of bias on the part of the adjudicator. The OPP dropped the disciplinary case against the two officers on December 15, 2009, the same day Fantino was due to be cross examined by defence lawyer Julian Falconer. The entire process cost more than $500,000 in public money.
Private prosecution charge for influencing or attempting to influence an elected official
Fantino was summoned in early January 2010 to face a charge of influencing or attempting to influence an elected official in April 2007 in Haldimand County, Ontario. The summons came after a December 31 Ontario Superior Court order demanding a formal charge be laid in relation to allegations against Mr. Fantino brought forward by a private complainant, Gary McHaleGary McHale
Gary McHale is a Canadian political activist, famous for his involvement in the Caledonia land dispute. McHale also created "Canadian Advocates for Charter Equality ."-Personal Life:...
, who alleged that Fantino was illegally influencing or attempting to influence municipal officials in regards to the Caledonia land dispute. The charge against Fantino was stayed in February 2010 as the Crown said there was no reasonable prospect of conviction.
Political aspirations
Following the resignation of John ToryJohn Tory
John Howard Tory is a Canadian businessman, political activist, former leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, former Member of Provincial Parliament and broadcaster...
as leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
Fantino's name was floated as a possible candidate in the in the ensuing leadership election
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario leadership election, 2009
On March 6, 2009, Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario leader John Tory announced his intention to step down as leader following his defeat in a by-election. Tory was elected party leader in the party's 2004 leadership election, and led the party to defeat in the 2007 provincial election in...
. He ended speculation that he was interested in the job with a letter to the Globe and Mail.
There were rumours that he may run for Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Vaughan, Ontario
Vaughan, Ontario
Vaughan is a city in York Region north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Vaughan is the fastest growing municipality in Canada achieving a population growth rate of 80.2% between 1996–2006, according to Statistics Canada having nearly doubled in population since 1991. Vaughan is located in Southern...
in the October 25, 2010 municipal election following his retirement from the OPP. An April 2010 Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
-Angus Reid
Angus Reid
Angus Reid is an offensive lineman for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. Reid went to Simon Fraser University and played for the Simon Fraser Clan. He began his career with the Montreal Alouettes but was traded, along with a 5th round draft pick, to BC for Adriano Belli...
poll indicates that Fantino would have the support of 43% of voters leading incumbent Mayor Linda Jackson
Linda Jackson (politician)
Linda D. Jackson is a Canadian politician and former mayor of Vaughan, Ontario. Jackson has been a resident of the City of Vaughan since 1966 and was elected as Mayor on November 14, 2006. Jackson was defeated by Maurizio Bevilacqua in the 2010 Vaughan municipal election.Jackson’s election to the...
who has 22% support. In an interview with CFRB on July 9, 2010, Fantino announced that he would not be running for mayor of Vaughan.
Federal politics
On October 12, 2010 Fantino announced he would seek the nomination for the federal Conservative Party of CanadaConservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
in the riding of Vaughan
Vaughan (electoral district)
Vaughan is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004.The riding covers the fast-growing region of Vaughan north of Toronto....
. It had been reported Prime Minister Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
had personally spoken to Fantino in early October about running as a Conservative and that the former police commissioner was "leaning" toward running. A federal by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
was necessary after the resignation of Liberal MP Maurizio Bevilacqua
Maurizio Bevilacqua
Maurizio Bevilacqua, PC, is a Canadian politician. He was a Liberal Member of Parliament from 1988 to 2010 and was of eleven candidates for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada but dropped out of the race on August 14, 2006...
. Fantino was acclaimed as Conservative Party's candidate on October 14 and the by-election was called for November 29, 2010.
During the campaign, he was dogged by a group called "Conservatives Against Fantino" led by Gary McHale
Gary McHale
Gary McHale is a Canadian political activist, famous for his involvement in the Caledonia land dispute. McHale also created "Canadian Advocates for Charter Equality ."-Personal Life:...
and Mark Vandermaas, two activists critical of Fantino's role in the Caledonia controversy. The group, which is picketing Fantino's campaign office and events, registered as a third party with Elections Canada
Elections Canada
Elections Canada is an independent, non-partisan agency reporting directly to the Parliament of Canada. Its ongoing responsibility is to ensure that Canadians can exercise their choices in federal elections and referenda through an open and impartial process...
under the name "Against Fantino" (after their use of the term "Conservatives" had been disallowed by the agency) in order to be permitted to spend money on printing and distributing 60,000 anti-Fantino pamphlets.
Fantino was elected to the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
on November 29, 2010 narrowly defeating Liberal candidate Tony Genco. The Globe and Mail noted that Fantino had "beat the Liberals out of one of their safest seats in Ontario, one they had held for 22 years."
On January 4, 2011, Fantino was named as Minister of State for Seniors
Minister of state (Canada)
A Minister of State is a junior cabinet minister in the Canadian Cabinet, usually given specific responsibilities to assist a senior cabinet minister in a specific area....
. In Prime Minister Harper's cabinet shuffle
Cabinet shuffle
In the parliamentary system a cabinet shuffle or reshuffle is an informal term for an event that occurs when a head of government rotates or changes the composition of ministers in their cabinet....
following the 2011 federal election Fantino was promoted to Associate Minister of National Defence
Associate Minister of National Defence (Canada)
The Associate Minister of National Defence is a member of the Canadian cabinet responsible for various files within the defence department as assigned by the Prime Minister or Defence Minister....
.
Electoral record
|align="left" colspan=2|ConservativeConservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
gain
|align="right"|
Awards
- Appointed Commander of the Order of the Police Forces by the Government of Canada (2003)
- Appointed a Member of the Order of Ontario by the Government of Ontario (2004)
- Awarded the Commander of the Order of Merit to the Republic of Italy (2002)
- 20-Year Police Exemplary Service Medal (1989)
- 30-Year Police Exemplary Service Bar (1999)
- 40-Year Police Exemplary Service Bar (2009)
- Order of St. John (2001)
- Recipient of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal
- Recipient of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Civil Rights Award in Law
- Order of OntarioOrder of OntarioThe Order of Ontario is the most prestigious official honour in the Canadian province of Ontario. Instituted in 1986 by Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier David Peterson, the civilian order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to...
(2003) - Top Choice Award for Leadership (2005), voted by Italian-Canadians in Toronto, Ontario
- April 14, 2005 he was presented the Key to the CityFreedom of the CityFreedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Rhodesia to esteemed members of its community and to organisations to be honoured, often for service to the community;...
of Toronto by Mayor David Miller. - Received a star on the Italian Walk of FameItalian walk of fameThe world's first and only Italian Walk of Fame is located in Toronto, Canada, the city that is home to the largest community of Italians outside of Italy...
in Toronto, Canada in 2009.