Halton Chief of Police, Federal NDP leader engage in feud on social media

Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) Chief Stephen Tanner and federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh have become embroiled in a war of words on Twitter.

Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) Chief Stephen Tanner and federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh have become embroiled in a war of words on Twitter.

It started with an article from CBC in which Singh suggested the incident that occurred last week involving a Canadian Armed Forces member who allegedly broke into Rideau Hall grounds would have ended differently had the suspect been a person of colour.

Singh further compared the incident with one that occurred in Mississauga in late June during which 62-year-old Ejaz Choudry was shot by Peel Regional Police officers responding to a call for assistance from Choudry’s family.

Tanner shared the CBC’s article on Twitter and accused Singh of needlessly politicizing an event that was resolved without any deaths.

“A situation safely resolved and you choose to somehow make it an issue about racism? I suppose you openly believe the accused should have been killed by the RCMP then. Politics at an all-time low,” Tanner said.

Singh responded, saying Tanner’s reaction left him concerned for the people of Halton, over which Tanner presides as Chief of Police.

“This tweet, from an account described as the ‘HRPS Chief of Police Site,’ leaves me concerned for the people of Halton Region,” Singh said. “It lays bare the fragility of someone in a position of power, afraid to confront systemic racism.”

Cover photo courtesy of Jagmeet Singh via Instagram