Head of the OPP shuffled out the door
With all the criticism leveled at the Ontario Provincial Police over their handling of the Caledonia land dispute, it is hard to interpret the news of OPP Commissioner Gwen Boniface taking on a new job overseas as anything but a poorly disguised firing.
Is the Ontario government dumping an embarrassing problem on Ireland?
From the news wire:
OPP Commissioner Gwen Boniface will be taking on a new role and joining a newly established Inspectorate providing oversight of Ireland's National Police Force, An Garda Siochana, Community Safety and Correctional Services Minister Monte Kwinter announced today.
Appointed by the Government of Ireland, Boniface will join former Boston Police Commissioner Kathleen O'Toole and former Minneapolis Police Chief Robert Olson, as part of a high-level three-member team of international experts tasked with reviewing current practices of the 13,000-member national police service in Ireland. The Inspectorate will advise the Minister for Justice on best practices in policing and promote reform, effectiveness and efficiency in the organization.
"Commissioner Boniface has given exceptional service to the people of Ontario and has led the OPP's 7,000 uniform and civilian members with distinction," said Kwinter. "Her intelligence, dedication, and leadership have made a real, positive difference here in Ontario and I am not surprised that Ireland sought out someone with those qualities to take on this challenging new position."
"I want to thank the men and women of the OPP for their hard work and support," said Commissioner Boniface. "It has been an honour and a privilege working with them for the past 30 years to serve the people of Ontario."
The Toronto Star is spinning things differently:
The embattled commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police will soon leave the force to take on a new policing role in Ireland.
Boniface has been under fire for her handling of an aboriginal occupation at a disputed housing development in Caledonia, Ont.
Six Nations protesters have occupied the Douglas Creek Estates housing development since the end of February, claiming it was wrongly taken from them by the Crown more than 200 years ago.
Boniface was confronted with accusations that police treated aboriginals differently throughout the sometimes-violent dispute.
Some citizens of Caledonia began circulating an Internet petition earlier this month calling for Boniface's resignation.
The petition said Boniface allegedly failed to protect the people of Caledonia as well as the town's power station, bridges, roads and homes during the protest.
In Ireland, there is no mention of the problems Boniface has faced here, which is surprising, since one of the challenges in Ireland is facing down ethnics groups that believe they are reacting to historical grievances:
The new Head of the Garda Inspectorate has said it is important that the force learns lessons from the killing of John Carthy in Abbeylara, Co Longford, six years ago.
The 27-year-old, who suffered from depression, was shot dead by armed gardaí following a 24-hour siege at his home in April 2000.
Kathleen O'Toole, the former US police official appointed to head the Garda Inspectorate, said today that she would be studying the recent report into the incident carefully and ensure it was acted upon properly.
She was speaking at the announcement of two more members of the Inspectorate - former Mineapolis police chief Robert Olson and former Ontario police commissioner Gwen Boniface.
Here's hoping the Irish media gets wind of what has been going on here and starts asking questions.
But in the mean time, it sure looks like Monte Kwinter has managed to shuffle a potential embarrassment out the door.
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Comments
...one can wonder, but at the same time, leaving in October is more or less a saving face for everyone in the upper OPP crust and Ontario Liberals.
Colour me chauvinist, but two female police chief's doing a review of Ireland's policing practices?
What I think St. Boniface is lacking it real world perspectives, as seen with Caledonia. What works on paper and in elite' thought patterns, doesn't always work in the real world.
Posted by: tomax7 at July 28, 2006 10:56 AM
Intesting Steve, in the Irish newspaper article dated 27 July at bottom says:
"...and former Ontario police commissioner Gwen Boniface."
As in either this was a prophesy, or slip of the tongue...
IN other interesting news, guess who's speaking at the Feminist Majority Foundation...
http://www.feminist.org/other/ncwp.asp
Posted by: at July 28, 2006 11:10 AM
Not to hog the postings, but here's another intersting development...
Ottawa's Police Chief Vince Bevan Steps Down - a man with good morals announces his retirement on the same day his police force is announced to be investigating the OPP affair in Caledonia (comment from Officially Screwed blog).
http://cfra.com/headlines/index.asp?cat=1&nid=41172
Posted by: tomax7 at July 28, 2006 11:23 AM
Tomax7, I think Bevan's resignation has more to do with him shooting off his mouth at a press conference following the arrest of Jennifer Teague's murderer. Bevan went on and on about the suspect confessing, and about the suspect knowing details only the killer would know, etc...
The defence lawyer is now claiming Bevan has tainted the case and he wants a change of venue (at the very least).
Bottom line is I don't think Bevan wants to be police chief when this trial starts since he will undoubtedly be slammed by the suspect's lawyers.
Posted by: Rob at July 28, 2006 11:38 AM
...thanks Rob, that's why I like this blog, people can find out as Paul Harvey says - "the rest of the story".
Posted by: tomax7 at July 28, 2006 11:53 AM
Another question that needs to be asked:
Is it possible that Boniface was hampered by any officials from the Ontario government ?
It would not be a big stretch to imagine that the McGuinty government, fearful of another Ipperwash incident, might interfere with the OPP's handling of the situation.
Posted by: Concerned Torontonian at July 28, 2006 12:00 PM
So Gwen Boniface been Gaglianoized (sorry, I couldn't help).
Posted by: GM at July 28, 2006 12:00 PM
Tomax7, No problem - just wanted to bring another angle to Bevan's resignation.
But back to the real story here... Why are the provincial Tories so quiet on this whole Caledonia issue? Are they afraid of being hit with the "all-you-want-is-another-Ipperwash" tag?
The Tories even have Justice Marshall on their side. All they have to do is parrot his complaints about the AG and the OPP.
Posted by: Rob at July 28, 2006 12:05 PM
John Tory was on Newstalk 570 today, on the Jeff Allan show. He was speaking out against McGuinty's "see-no-evil" way of handling things, and criticizing Monte Kwinter for saying that there is no occupation any more; just a 'symbolic' one.
Posted by: Joanne TB at July 28, 2006 01:16 PM
Ding dong the witch is dead. Which old witch, the boneyfaced old witch.
Posted by: TrustOnlyMulder at July 28, 2006 01:50 PM
More shady McGuilty politics?
From Small Dead Animals...
"You can toss a few other facts into the mix.
1) Ottawa Police PSS are now in charge of investigating the OPP situation where the officers allegedly stood by while a camera crew was beaten
2) Dalton McGuinty and Ottawa Mayor Bob Chiarelli are both staunch Liberals and Mayor Bob has supported Dalton by campaigning for him door to door.
3) The day the above investigation was announced, Ottawa Police Chief Vince Bevan resigned unexpectedly.
One would think the police force in the Premier's riding investigating an OPP case regarding the Caledonia standoff, a case McGuinty is in charge of, would be a conflict of interest.
Any other police PSS would have been better and acceptable.
Posted by: TrustOnlyMulder at July 27, 2006 11:22 PM"
**************
Between the Caledona version of Adscam and now the alleged evidence of conflict and manipulation of the OPP, I have to wonder - is John Chretien living in McGuilty's basement? Or is corruption just in every Liberal's Operating Manual?
Posted by: SickandTired at July 28, 2006 03:06 PM
Kinda smells the same as the Mike Harris Tories handling of Ipperwash situation don't you think "SickandTired" ?
Posted by: at July 28, 2006 05:09 PM
Given the hatchet job the Ontario Libs did on Mike Harris in the Ipperwash affair, McGuinty is at a loss for words, let alone action. He has himself in a wee bit of a bind, but he'll worm out, no doubt there's a scapegoat out there. This is inner-sanctum stuff with the OPP, we won't be privy to the details of the Boniface resignation/dismissal/ get out of town/ hell, get out of the country. It's a maze of mystery.
Posted by: Liz J at July 28, 2006 08:07 PM
 
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