‘I am going to fund the police’: Bonnie Crombie pledges in Thursday speech

Ontario Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie has pledged to fund the police in a speech on Thursday to the Police Association of Ontario (PAO).

Crombie also took aim at Premier Doug Ford’s record on violent crime in the address, which appears to try to frame her as a law and order candidate. 

“I am going to fund the police. We need to fund our police,” Crombie’s speech read.

“An Ontario Liberal government will fund police properly so that they had boots on the ground so that they could buy the state of the art equipment that they needed, that we would train and attract new officers and we would also have a program to retain the officers that we had,” Crombie added in an interview with 680 NewsRadio.

The provincial Liberal leader is making her stance clear on an issue with which Premier Ford has targeted other politicians.

In the lead-up to the last Toronto mayoral race in March 2023, Premier Ford said, “They’re sitting councillors who voted to defund the police. The people who voted for defunding the police don’t vote for them, simple as that. We can’t have anarchy in our cities.”

Crombie also used her speech to go after Ford’s record on crime.

“We know people worry that bail conditions are too weak and our courts are too backed up to keep criminals off our streets. These failures may not have started with the current Conservative government. But they have become much, much worse because of this government’s indifference and neglect.”

Premier Ford and his ministers have repeatedly called on the federal government to make bail-related changes, including eliminating bail for certain offences and implementing a “three-strike rule” for repeat offenders.

“Premier Ford is quick to point a finger and blame others,” says Crombie. “But the reality is that on his watch, violent crime is the worst it’s been in nearly two decades.

“We need to keep violent, repeat offenders off our streets by advocating for stricter bail reform,” she adds.

Crombie reiterated that point to 680 NewsRadio. “I wanted police to know that not only will I invest in police, I’ll fix our broken bail system, I’ll get our courts working again and I’ll provide the supports to those facing mental health and addiction issues.”

Conservative strategists were quick to criticize the Crombie speech.

“All of this is on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, not Doug Ford; Bonnie Crombie should know that,” says Laryssa Waler, founder of Henley Strategies.

“She should be more focused on asking her Federal Liberal cousins for real action to keep our communities safe.”

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today