Toronto’s top cop up to his old tricks

This post was written by MJ in May, 2002
Friday was a blast from the past for embattled Toronto police chief Julian Fantino, posing for the media with evidence of a big bust and dire warnings of a terrible scourge stalking the city only he could protect.
“If we can’t protect our children then we should, as a society, fly the white flag of surrender because all is lost,” said Julian Fantino.
Fantino’s boys have arrested three people on possession of child pornography charges since the turn of the calendar, the force announced Friday, underlining Toronto’s stature as a global hub of kiddie porn distribution.
Observant readers will remember this song and dance from the before.
In 1994, Fantino — then head of the cops in London, Ont — announced a similar bust, when officers raided the home of high school teacher Buryl Wilson. While Wilson was not the kind of fellow you’d want molding (er, moulding) the minds of youth — he’d already been convicted on prostitution charges — none of the 800-odd videos seized from his home were kiddie porn. One was 9-to-5, some were legal gay porn.
But no matter: Fantino used the Wilson arrest to get cash from the government for “Operation Guardian” which targeted gay men in London.
Means. Check. Opportunity. Check.
Motive? Fantino’s tenure in T.O. has been rocky: Campaigns against ravers and squeegie artists didn’t play well in the press and he’s been in a nasty, nasty fight with the cop union.
Hogtowners take note.