ANGRY LAWYERS GET BRUSHOFF

McGuinty Urged To Probe Drug Squad Scandal

Three Toronto lawyers who are seeking a public inquiry into alleged Toronto
Police drug squad corruption and how those allegations were handled were
brushed aside yesterday. After urging Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty to
hold an inquiry into the drug squad scandal and create "genuinely
civilian-controlled" scrutiny of police complaints, lawyers Peter Biro,
Edward Sapiano and Clayton Ruby received a "no comment" from a civil servant.

"There is an ongoing police investigation into these matters, therefore no
further comment is appropriate at this time," said Brendan Crawley, a
spokesman for the attorney general.

The lawyers were furious upon learning that their bid was given such short
shrift.

Sapiano and Ruby were among 10 prominent defence lawyers whose complaints
about members of the central field command drug squad ultimately prompted
Toronto Police Chief Julian Fantino to form a 25-member internal affairs
task force in 2001.

RCMP Chief Supt. John Neily was appointed to head up the task force.

The Neily task force delivered its recommendations to Ontario Crown Law
Office criminal prosecutors in the summer, sources said.

As yet, no charges have been laid.

In addition to the shroud of silence over the drug squad probe, a Toronto
Police internal affairs affidavit that freed drug trafficker Simon Yeung 18
months into a 45-month sentence, on the grounds he should not have been
convicted, has been kept sealed by the Ontario Court of Appeal for almost 2
1/2 years.

The latest sealing order expires Dec. 30. Sapiano fears prosecutors will
seek a further extension.

"This is the problem, this veil of secrecy," Sapiano said. "This excuse
worked two years ago, this worked a year and a half ago, but now they're
approaching three years ... it's no longer a justifiable excuse, and that's
what it is -- an excuse".

Biro said the Ontario government could have addressed the "substantive
issues" without jeopardizing the probe.

"This response is overly cautious at best and absolutely cowardly at
worst," Biro said.