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“I will have much more to say in this regard, however, I am also mindful and respectful of due process,” he said.

After the announcement, Mr. Fantino was asked whether he will be allowed to speak freely. “The Prime Minister deals with issues as he sees them,” Mr. Fantino replied. “I know what leadership is all about and I’m very respectful of that, and I intend to be a team player.”

The former police chief said he is confident that he can swing Vaughan to the Tories. “We don’t overturn regimes. We democratically elect new leadership,” Mr. Fantino said.



Mr. Fantino’s career has been stained by controversial issues, including the Caledonia native stand-off and accusations of homophobia stemming from a major investigation in London during the 1990s, to which he strongly denies.

He defended his career: I don’t know how, in a democratic society, a police chief… could ever benchmark the work they do so that everyone’s happy.”

“In order to be honourable, ethical, professional and trustworthy, you have to be controversial to some people who don’t see things the same way,” Mr. Fantino went on.

The gun registry is sure to be a key issue come time for a federal election, and in that regard Mr. Fantino agrees with the minority government, while the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police argue that it is an important and useful everyday tool.

“I’m very disappointed that the whole issue of gun crime in this country came down to the gun registry, which I believe has been briefly distorted,” said Mr. Fantino. He said the most useful pieces of gun-control legislation are background checks, licensing requirements, safe storage legislation and rules for purchasing ammunition.