Latest news with #NiagaraParksCommission
Global News
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Global News
Ford government defends powers to arm special constables: ‘We ran on Protect Ontario'
The Ford government is defending its move to give the solicitor general the power to arm as-yet unidentified groups of special constables — and says it delivers on its election promise to 'protect Ontario.' Last week, Global News reported how the government had quietly included a clause in its latest omnibus justice legislation that would allow it to expand the number of special constables who can carry firearms. Special constables operate similarly to police, but they are not police officers. Currently, only Niagara Parks Commission special constables and those who work for police forces in other jurisdictions are allowed to use guns. Other special constables — who work in campus security, on transit, at community housing and with existing police services — carry batons and pepper spray. Solicitor General Michael Kerzner defended the move on Monday, promising consultations would come after the legislation is passed and before he passes regulations to expand the weapons some special constables carry. Story continues below advertisement 'Public safety matters a lot to this government,' he said. 'When we ran on 'Protect Ontario,' we ran specifically to make sure that everyone in Ontario is safe.' The premier's office stressed Monday that the focus of the new power was to make changes to Niagara Parks Commission special constables, including giving them more powerful weapons. They would not rule out whether other special constables would follow. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy A spokesperson for the premier's office told Global News an example of the changes that could come in might be to allow Niagara Parks special constables to 'carry long guns' for an 'active attacker scenario.' They said the government's 'focus right now is the Niagara Parks constables,' but did not say if other groups would follow. Kerzner said he would 'not necessarily at all' apply the weapons changes to campus police or transit enforcement and said he would 'continue to meet with stakeholders.' He repeatedly did not answer questions about what other special constables could get firearms. 'I want to point to Niagara Regional Parks police, that is something that goes back a long time, they're an exception to the rule,' he said. 'And we want to make sure that those great officers who are part of that police service have the capability that is commensurate to other police services across Ontario.' Story continues below advertisement The Niagara Parks Police Service is a special constabulary, which means its officers only have authority on land owned by the Niagara Parks Commission. Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles said she wanted the government to explain what it was trying to achieve with the new powers. 'I really want to understand what the intention is here. I think the government should be clear with people with what they're going to use this legislation for,' she said. 'This is classic of the behaviour of this government. They ram stuff through like this that gives all kinds of new potential power and don't really explain what they're trying to accomplish with this.' If Bill 10, the government's latest justice legislation passes, then the solicitor general will have the power to decide which new groups of special constables can carry firearms. That decision, over which groups get guns, will be made and publicized through a regulation, which is not voted on by MPPs. 'Any regulation would undergo a public feedback process, as they all do, and require significant consultation,' the premier's office said. The president of the Ontario Special Constables Association said in a social media post that she was supportive of the move. Story continues below advertisement 'The (Ontario Special Constables Association) has long advocated for better use of force options for #specialconstables and we support Premier (Doug Ford) and Solicitor General (Michael Kerzner),' Sarah Kennedy wrote on social media. '#SpecialConstables are important #partnersinpublicsafety and contribute to safety and wellbeing in different spaces. Equipping Specials with appropriate and necessary tools will have a positive impact on officer and public safety.'
Global News
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Global News
Ford government considers arming more special constables but won't say who will get guns
Should Ontario's transit enforcement officers or campus security guards be allowed to carry guns? That's a question raised by a change the Ford government quietly included in its latest proposed piece of omnibus justice legislation. Buried in the middle of the Protect Ontario Through Safer Streets and Stronger Communities Act is a change that would allow Solicitor General Michael Kerzner to select groups of special constables who would be allowed to use firearms. Special constables are a police-adjacent category of officials who work in areas like campus security or transit enforcement. The vast majority carry pepper spray and batons but cannot use firearms. That could change if the omnibus bill, which is still being debated at Queen's Park, is passed into law. 'If passed, Bill 10 would allow the Solicitor General, through regulations, to permit groups of special constables to carry and use firearms,' a spokesperson for Kerzner's office told Global News. Story continues below advertisement Currently, in Ontario, only special constables who work for the Niagara Parks Commission or for an existing police force in another jurisdiction can carry guns. Other special constables do not. 'All special constables must meet mandatory training standards and adhere to a provincial code of conduct,' the spokesperson continued. The solicitor general's office did not say which special constables it was considering allowing to carry firearms, nor did it say why it was making the move now. Ken Price, a member of Danforth Families for Safe Communities, which advocates for gun control and reform, said the move was curious — and questioned why the government was considering expanding the number of officials who can carry firearms. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'Certainly, we would never begrudge — as Danforth families, any of us — would begrudge the police the kinds of resources they need to do their jobs, that's not what this is about,' he said. 'But I think when you're in the area of what special constables (do) and, most of them, it appears today, don't need weapons to carry out their jobs, so what's changed? Why does this need to be an element? When more guns in our minds is not a good idea.' Danforth Families for Safe Communities was formed in the wake of the 2018 mass shooting on Danforth Avenue in Toronto, which killed two and left 13 injured. Story continues below advertisement The proposed change has been rolled out quietly by the province. It wasn't announced at a news conference, nor was it included in a detailed background briefing released when the legislation was tabled. Sarah Strban, a criminal defence lawyer who read the proposed legislation, said how the move would be received depended entirely on who the solicitor general gave guns to. 'The important thing to remember is that a special constable is a very tightly-controlled category of law enforcement, and it applies to a really wide range of conduct,' she said. Strban suggested it would be 'quite reasonable' for special constables working with police forces to carry firearms. 'They're involved in investigations and maybe helping with things like arrest and detention, interviewing subjects, executing searches,' she explained. 'On the other hand, you get special constables that are dealing with more community work roles, so special constables work in university settings, in transit, in community housing — sometimes with very vulnerable populations. And there I do have some concern where you're adding more firearms to those situations.' The special constables who receive firearms will be decided through regulations issued by the solicitor general if the proposed law passes and won't be debated by the legislature. Ontario Liberal MPP Karen McCrimmon said, given the potentially seismic change, there should be deliberate consultations. Story continues below advertisement 'Carrying a firearm comes with the authority to use it, and we need to keep that threshold high,' she said in a statement. 'The rigorous training our officers receive keeps both us and them safe. Communities deserve a chance to consult on lowering these standards and taking on more risk.' The solicitor general's office said it 'worked closely with policing and community safety partners to put forward the proposed changes' in the legislation. McCrimmon suggested it was a dangerous, short-term measure. 'We need investment in a funded and experienced police sector, not a band-aid solution,' she said. 'Arming special constables with less training than police officers is not a proper solution. This government needs to ensure that anyone authorized to carry a gun is properly trained, which minimizes risk to the public and law enforcement.'
