TORIES 'PANDER' TO THE INTERESTS OF POLICE - CRITICS

Making Them A Powerful Lobby Group 'Threatens' Their Independence

The law-and-order agenda of the Harper Conservative government has
made police one of the most powerful and influential lobby groups on
Parliament Hill.

After years of being bystanders in Parliament's corridors of power,
police meet with cabinet ministers while they are crafting
law-and-order legislation; they often stand at the government's side
when announcements are made; and they enjoy generous access to senior
politicians who frequently accept invitations to speak at police events.

"There's obviously a tendency on the part of this government to pander
to police interests," laments Louise Botham, president of the Criminal
Lawyers Association, which defends the rights of the accused.

"We see that with the government's law-and-order platform, which they
tend to unveil and announce at actual police meetings."

Justice Minister Vic Toews raised eyebrows earlier this year when he
headed to an area police station to announce that the Conservatives
had introduced legislation to raise the age of sexual consent to 16
from 14.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has used police stations and
law-enforcement gatherings as a backdrop for unveiling law-and-order
initiatives, including bills to crack down on street racing and
dangerous offenders.

Ed Ratushny, a law professor at University of Ottawa, says the cosy
relationship is not only unseemly, it is a downright threat to police
independence.

"It strongly suggests the police as an institution giving support to a
political party," said Mr. Ratushny.

"Great efforts are made to establish the police as being independent.
Operationally, they have great latitude to do what they consider
should be done for law enforcement without accounting to
politicians."

The appearance of the police flanking the Conservatives at their
law-and-order announcements "diminishes the perception of independence
and I think the perception is just as important as the reality," Mr.
Ratushny added.

"It's a slippery slope, and the interface of politicians and the
police is very delicate in a democratic society."

The RCMP has also been publicly questioned for revealing during last
winter's federal election campaign that the force was investigating
leaks in Paul Martin's Liberal cabinet, a move that was viewed as a
Christmas gift for Mr. Harper that aided in his election victory.

"The precedent of the RCMP engaging in this way should trouble
everyone," Conservative Senator Hugh Segal wrote in a book published
this fall.

The Conservatives later came under fire for refusing to fire RCMP
Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli, despite relentless public pressure following a
damning inquiry report that concluded the Mounties passed inaccurate
information to American authorities about Canadian citizen Maher Arar
that very likely led to his deportation and torture in a Syrian jail.

In the latest event that has sparked a wide outcry, Mr. Toews has
decided that a seat would be reserved for the law enforcement
community on judicial advisory committees in each province that screen
contenders for the 1,100-member federal judiciary.

Judges, legal scholars and lawyers, including Chief Justice Beverley
McLachlin of the Supreme Court of Canada, say the legal community
should have been consulted before the unilateral move, and that
special interest groups like the police have no business picking
judges because they would tend to endorse candidates with a
law-and-order bent.

But Mr. Toews has refused to back down and the initiative reportedly
has Mr. Harper's support.

Tony Cannavino, president of the Canadian Professional
Police Association, acknowledged that his organization is having its
day in the sun, saying the Conservative government "understands very
well what we need on law and order."

He added that the plan for police to help screen judges was first
broached by Mr. Toews at one of their many meetings.

"We've met and talked about a lot of things, introducing a lot of
bills, it's while we were talking on different issues that the
minister came to me," Mr. Cannavino said in an interview.

"It was something that came from him. That's the first time I heard of
it."