Government Operations Committee on Nov. 4th, 2010

[Chief William Blair]

I was not involved in any discussion on that. Quite frankly, I don't feel well qualified to answer your question. My responsibility, once a decision was made that such an event was going to be held in Toronto, was to figure out the best way to police it.

[Siobhan Coady, Liberal, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

Okay, fine.

The City of Toronto had a budget, as you indicated earlier. Do you know what that budget was and what it was used for?

[Chief William Blair]

I'm sorry, the City of Toronto...?

[Siobhan Coady, Liberal, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

You mentioned that the City of Toronto had a separate budget.

[Chief William Blair]

Yes, they do.

I have some numbers here. I believe the total city budget for the event is $23.9 million, which the city has negotiated and submitted separately to the federal government—outside of the emergency services or protective services.

[Siobhan Coady, Liberal, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

Do you know what those assumptions were in that budget?

[Chief William Blair]

I don't know those assumptions. I could inquire of the city and forward them, if they're able to give them to me.

[Siobhan Coady, Liberal, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

That would be helpful, thank you very much.

In response to an earlier question, you said there was a process to ensure that the concerns of the Toronto police were respected. Could you just talk about that process and what concerns you had?

[Chief William Blair]

Absolutely.

We were very much a member of our service.... We had some conversations about...because it's very important to determine that our policies will be followed. My police services board has a responsibility for the oversight of policing in Toronto, so we had some discussion to ensure that our policies would apply.

We also talked about things like a potential public complaint against a police officer and that there were certain legal requirements in Ontario for police officers that must be met. Those discussions took place between us and our policing partners.

I can tell you that it's a very integrated and collaborative environment; everybody was working as cooperatively together as they could to ensure that all of us were able to fulfill our responsibilities.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

We have two minutes left, if the Conservatives wish to ask a question.

Mr. Calkins.

[Blaine Calkins, Conservative, Wetaskiwin, AB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Chief Blair, for being here. I really appreciate this opportunity.

I just have a few questions for you. The police officers that you reassigned and reallocated—you said you brought back people from scheduled days off, and so on—to be present at the G-20, or the backfilled police officers you had to put in place of those others, were they earning regular pay or were they earning time and a half or overtime?

[Chief William Blair]

They were earning primarily time and a half. All of the officers were paid, and part of our agreement is that they would be paid according to our collective agreement. I'm bound by a collective agreement, which determines the rate of pay for the officers, depending on whether they're working on their regular day of work or on a day off. We had to bring some of them back, cancelling their leave, and there were additional costs associated within our collective agreement to pay them during a leave period.

[Blaine Calkins, Conservative, Wetaskiwin, AB]

So this is quite typical for the major events that you would host in the Toronto area? Because of the collective bargaining agreement, you would be bound either way?

[Chief William Blair]

It's really common. We've hosted a number of large-scale events--the Caribana Parade, for example. I'll cancel days off or bring people in on overtime shifts, and we have to pay them according to our collective agreement.

[Blaine Calkins, Conservative, Wetaskiwin, AB]

Some people claim that maybe we should have had this thing up in Hans Island or built the Taj Mahal someplace else. Even if the event was held in a remote location—I think you alluded to this earlier—the reality is, and I think the international experience is, the protesters would have chosen a destination where they could have done the most damage.

Is that not true?

[Chief William Blair]

When we were only aware of a G-8, we were fully anticipating that no matter where the G-8 was held, the protest would take place in Toronto.

[Blaine Calkins, Conservative, Wetaskiwin, AB]

That's great.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Last question, Mr. Calkins.

[Blaine Calkins, Conservative, Wetaskiwin, AB]

Thank you.

Generally speaking, with your experience, the suite of tools available to you for the various legal avenues, whether it's the Criminal Code, provincial statutes, bylaws—I'm more interested primarily in the federal statutes—are there any tools that would be more beneficial? I think Canadians were, quite frankly, outraged by the hooligans and thugs who were there, the anarchists who were just creating a whole bunch of damage to public property and so on. Are there any tools that you would recommend the government change, strengthen, or enhance in order to give you more abilities?

[Chief William Blair]

No. I believe there's a very clear articulation of our legal authorities in statute, in our common law authorities, and within provincial statutes. There was some discussion about a provincial statute and a regulation that was enacted but not really used at this event, that frankly became quite an issue in the public mind. I'm quite satisfied with the current authorities and the accountabilities that those authorities imply.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Thank you, Chief Blair.

Thank you, Mr. Calkins.

The time is up. I see from my colleagues in the Bloc that they would like to continue asking questions. My experience last week was that it didn't work out very well. So unless there is unanimity on the part of the committee to continue asking Chief Blair questions, I have to bring this session to a close.

[An hon. member]

I'm fine with that.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

You're fine with that?

I want to respect Chief Blair's time. I know you have another event, and we don't want to unduly burden you, but I'm open to another, what, 10 minutes? Five?

[An hon. member]

Ten is good.

[An hon. member]

Ten; whatever it takes.