Comrade Miller Can't Hide Behing Pam McConnel This Time

He stuck it to Fantino and then his Saviour Of Toronto buddy Mcginty stuck it to Miller by appointing Fantino to head the OPP. Remember he conned his way into the Mayor's office by giving the impression that he had the support of McGinty and Martin in solving Toronto's fiscal problems. Dysfunctional family Mayor is cops' bad boy

By JOE WARMINGTON

Does the mayor hate the cops?

Of course he is going to deny that he does. But you look at the history and you won't find a warm and fuzzy friendship.

And yesterday was supposed to be Family Day. It seems there is some quarrelling in this family. Dysfunctional. One thing is clear. Mayor David Miller and Toronto Police Association President Dave Wilson are not on each other's Christmas card list.

And that is not good for the city.

Yesterday was Family Day, and as illustrated in a two-week advertising campaign by the TPA, the only city unionized employees to not get the holiday, or a day in lieu of, was the cops.

"We have families too," said the ad.

Now I know a lot of people who didn't get the phony Family Day holiday, which in essence was for the public sector in Ontario paid for by the private sector. All it is, is another Premier Dalton McGuinty smoke-and-mirrors show -- and one that costs millions to the taxpayers at that.

Conservative Leader John Tory was telling me last night he agrees with the cops that they should have been given this day. "We are pretending the police don't have families," he said. "It is unfair but if Mr. McGuinty had done this properly, it could have been arranged that the police did get it."

Some police services in Ontario seemed to get it. But not in Toronto, and it's easy to see how the cops must feel. They put the blame squarely on the mayor.

It sure seems like he hasn't cut them much of a break in the past. Never smart. In a safe city, they are your No. 1 asset. Keep them happy and then everybody is happy. Miller seems to keep the sanitation workers happy and the firefighters.

Smart there.

But ever since this mayor has been in office there has been nothing but turmoil when it comes to his rapport with police. Of course, it probably has nothing to do with the fact that the police were one of the few public sector unions to not support his candidacy. Pure coincidence, I am sure.

"This mayor seems to have a disdain for our membership," Wilson said yesterday to anybody who would listen.

He cites several examples.

- In 2005, police had to march downtown to protest the lack of a contract and were disciplined for wearing their uniforms.

- In 2004, the mayor made the comment "is your police force in jail? Mine is?" to the mayor of London, England.

- Last July, cops were upset at the mayor's alleged comments after the arrest of the Chilean under-20 soccer team when he said "the police were a bit rough going in" ... and they were "heavy-handed." Wilson said later it was determined the allegations were false and his members are still waiting for an apology from the mayor, who, despite being quoted by the head of FIFA saying this, has denied it.

- In the summer of 2007, Wilson was shaking his head at the city hierarchy for not allowing police to display yellow support the troops ribbons -- despite the cost being covered by the police association.

- And now, negotiations are underway for a new contract and it's going poorly.

"It's bad-faith bargaining," Wilson said. "We have had eight days of talks and not one issue has been resolved.

"Last time they said there was no money and they would have to take from the elderly and children to give us a raise and then gave themselves 9%."

You can see the tough cop union boss is ticked off. And now this Family Day fiasco is like rubbing salt in the wounds. "It's interesting how he gave it to all of the other unions outside of bargaining," said Wilson. "And here he is saying we have to negotiate it as part of a contract and yet he won't negotiate it."

Now I think it must be said to both sides that this poor relationship does not help the citizenry of Toronto and it must be put aside fast. Maybe there needs to be an intervention. However, at a time where there is so much danger out there and so many guns, the mayor has to be reminded the cops are the good guys. Treat them like that. We need them.

So what's the mayor have to say about all of this? When I called, his office was closed and he was unavailable.

Of course. It was Family Day.