Toronto Star

Justice’s connection­s are troubling

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Re Blair promises unbiased review, Aug. 15 We are concerned about the optics of Justice Dennis O’Connor’s connection to law firm Borden Ladner Gervais and this law firm’s connection to the Toronto Police Service. We believe that the internal review must be conducted by someone with impeccable impartiali­ty.

It is problemati­c that Justice O’Connor’s law firm BLG “has acted for the insurers of the Toronto Police Service in civil suits, some of which include allegation­s of the wrongful use of lethal force. Currently, lawyers at BLG are acting on a number of such matters.” This may have a negative impact on the public’s perception of the process and outcome of the internal review of police use of force. As such, police chief Bill Blair needs to be much clearer about the terms and conditions of Justice O’Connor’s review and the basis on which the learned justice will be advising him.

How seriously will the retired justice’s advice be taken? How significan­t will his suggestion­s and recommenda­tions be to the chief?

Will this internal review lead to sys- temic change in policing and the imperative to act on recommenda­tions such as those contained in the “Saving Lives: Alternativ­es to the Use of Lethal Force by Police,” along with a reconvenin­g of the Toronto Police Services’ “Saving Lives Implementa­tion Group”? Gary Pieters, President, Urban Alliance on Race Relations, Toronto

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