Former OPP commissioner Julian Fantino has called a press conference for Tuesday morning, where he is expected to announce a run for the federal Conservatives in the Toronto suburb of Vaughan.
On Monday evening, the former police officer issued a terse press release indicating he would make an announcement at 9:30 a.m. the next day at an Italian cultural centre in Woodbridge. He's also registered a website – www.julianfantino.ca – whose title bar is marked “Conservative Party of Canada.”
Mr. Fantino has long been courted as a star candidate by both the provincial and federal Tories, and was once touted as a possible candidate for mayor of Vaughan.
Last week, a source close to Mr. Fantino told The Globe and Mail that Prime Minister Stephen Harper had personally tried to persuade Mr. Fantino to make the jump into federal politics; the source said he was leaning towards agreeing.
Mr. Fantino has a lengthy career in policing under his belt, starting in the Toronto force, where he worked his way up from constable to become a high-ranking commander. He left Toronto in the early 1990s to serve as police chief in London, Ont. He later worked briefly as top cop in York Region, which includes Vaughan, before becoming Toronto's police chief in 2000.
He retired from the OPP in August after a little under four years at the helm.
The riding of Vaughan, which became vacant when long-serving Liberal MP Maurizio Bevilacqua resigned to run for mayor of Vaughan, could be the subject of a by-election.
Commentary by the Ottawa Mens Centre
Fantino has very obviously been preparing Ontario residents with decades of
publicity all apparently aimed at finally, finally getting a conservative
nomination.
To achieve this, he has demonstrated the correct Harper attributes, a
willingness to flagrantly ignore the fundamental principles of justice, lay fake
criminal charges against those who have a different "political opinion", use
threats intimidation to get what he wanted, make charges disappear and rule two
police forces like a dictator.
Most disturbingly, it was his ability to use his influence to get out of
criminal charges that will has the delusion will not stain his reputation, that
relies upon the principle that good conservatives are brainless and incapable of
thinking for themselves and who will follow their leader when it comes to
jumping off a political and legal cliff.
All this makes this revolting insult to justice a perfect fit for the Harper
Republican puppet government.
Its enough to make you want to puke on your how to vote card.
www.OttawaMensCentre.com