TORONTO—Police unions shouldn’t be allowed to engage in partisan political activism during an election campaign, the Progressive Conservatives said yesterday after being targeted in two ads issued by the Ontario Provincial Police Association.
“When the union representing the Ontario Provincial Police releases two 15-second attack ads against the Ontario PC Party, the public would understandably question the impartiality of its provincial police force,” the Tories said in a statement.
It is “rather unheard of” for police or an organization representing them to publicly endorse or pan a political candidate, said Luc Turgeon, a political science professor at the University of Ottawa.
“It does raise questions since police forces are sometimes called on to investigate politicians,” he noted.
The Tories pointed to the OPP’s ongoing investigation of the Liberal government over the alleged destruction of documents related to the cancellation of two gas plants and another probe at Ornge, the province’s air ambulance service.
The OPP said in a release yesterday afternoon that it does not, in any way, support the union campaign.
“As part of the greater Ontario government, the OPP does not participate in or offer any opinions or positions regarding elections and politics,” the statement said.
“The OPP has no opinion or position on the current election, the political parties involved, or any of their party leaders,” it added.
The union, meanwhile, said it had “no choice” but to take public action given PC leaderTim Hudak’s plans to cut the pay and pensions of its members.
“His positions on arbitration, public-sector pensions, and further wage freezes, among others issues, are unacceptable to our members who put their lives on the line for their communities every day,” union president Jim Christie said in a news release.
He said the ads are not an endorsement for the Liberals or the NDP.
“We just don’t want this Conservative as premier,” Christie noted.
Hudak said he won’t make any exceptions in implementing a public-sector wage freeze if he’s elected June 12.
“I think it’s just fair and reasonable to say all of us, starting with me and all the politicians, there won’t be any wage increases for at least two years,” he said while campaigning in Toronto.