The first-time cabinet minister heading Ontario’s anti-racism directorate has been called a “racist” for declaring he wore a bulletproof vest in Jane-Finch as Toronto experiences an outbreak of shootings this summer.

Community Safety and Corrections Minister Michael Tibollo, a lawyer and new MPP for Vaughan-Woodbridge, made the remark Wednesday in response to a question from New Democrat Kevin Yarde on whether the Progressive Conservative government will ban carding.

“I want to reassure everyone that the focus of this government is to ensure that safety is paramount in all communities. Personally, I went out to Jane and Finch, put on a bulletproof vest and spent 7 o’clock to 1 o’clock in the morning visiting sites that had previously had bullet-ridden people killed in the middle of the night,” Tibollo told the Legislature.

“I’m not a police officer, but what I can tell you is they need skills, they need tools to work with. Our work will be to ensure, working with the communities, that we build trust and that we have those tools provided to them to be able to do their jobs properly.”

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath called Tibollo’s vest comment “blatantly racist,” while the Liberals and Greens labelled it “unfortunate,” saying it unfairly reinforces negative stereotypes about an entire neighbourhood.

“It’s one he should apologize for and withdraw immediately,” said Horwath.

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“It is absolutely unacceptable to make an insinuation that going into a highly racialized community is going to necessitate the wearing of a bulletproof vest,” she said, adding Tibollo has “no credibility” to lead the government’s anti-racism efforts.

Tibollo later tweeted the complaints were “petty partisan politics” and told reporters he donned the vest after it was given to him by Toronto police for the evening ride-along, which included a stop with Premier Doug Ford.

“I sat at a spot where one gentleman the week before got shot 36 times. I stood right there and it’s a little bit unnerving for someone to have that experience,” the minister said, insisting he takes anti-racism efforts “seriously.”

“I find the situation on the streets extremely dangerous and there are real people that live in these neighbourhoods that are looking for help .... To put on a bulletproof vest anywhere in this city to me is alarming.”

When asked, Toronto Police did not confirm whether or not an incident had occurred in the last month in which a man was shot 36 times. Between June 15 and July 7, the day that Ford posted a photo of himself with Tibollo on a ride-along with Toronto police, there were six shootings listed on the Toronto Police Service Crime App for 31 Division, whose jurisdiction includes the Jane and Finch neighbourhood. Police say that two of those shootings involved a significant number of bullets, but declined to confirm whether either involved a victim being shot 36 times.

Toronto police said a vest is standard procedure on tours such as Tibollo’s.

“When police do a ridealong, there is a safety assessment. That assessment takes into account a variety of factors. Since we always err on the side of caution. There is a presumption that the person doing the ridealong will be provided with a vest,” said Mark Pugash, director of corporate communications.

Tibollo said he is visiting other communities in the province, including Ottawa and Windsor, and will wear a bulletproof vest again if police give him one.

Yarde, the MPP for Brampton North, said he asked the question because he was carded by Peel Region police while driving with bags of clothes in the back seat of his vehicle, and said he was taken aback by Tibollo’s vest remark.

“As an African-Canadian, personally I thought it was a racist comment. It was a surprise to hear …. I had to ask the members next to me, did I hear what I actually heard?”

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Deputy Premier Christine Elliott defended Tibollo’s comment, saying it “was not intentional” in targeting any one area of the city.

“The intention was to talk about being in communities and talking about gun violence,” she said.

“It’s happening across the city, and I know that the minister is really interested in becoming familiar with what’s going on, because we’ve seen a rise in gun violence.”

Elliott stressed the Progressive Conservative government would “absolutely not” reinstate carding.

Liberal MPP Mitzie Hunter, who is Black, said Tibollo fuelled stereotypes about the Jane-and-Finch neighbourhood.

“We have to invest in the young people as they’re growing up. We have to give them options. We have to give them pathways so that they can see their future and work hard towards that,” added the former education minister.

“I think it’s completely unacceptable for anyone in leadership to stigmatize a community and reinforce stereotypes.”

Police statistics show Jane-Finch, which is in 31 Division, has had 35 shootings this year with 46 victims — the most for any police division. In 2016, there were 68 shootings and 94 victims.

North Etobicoke’s 23 division has seen 27 shootings and 31 victims — the second-highest tally in the city, while downtown east of Yonge in 51 Division has had 23 shootings with 29 victims.

United Church Rev. Barry Rieder, who has worked as a community minister in Jane-Finch for 23 years, called Tibollo’s comment “totally unfounded and exaggerated.”

Rieder said there is no need for bulletproof vests in the area.

“What the community does need is jobs for its youth,” he said.

Toronto District School Board rustee Tiffany Ford, who’s running for city council in Ward 7, was born and raised in the Jane-Finch area. She, too, agreed such equipment is unnecessary.

“We’re trying to disprove that narrative, especially among the media and people across the city, and Ontario …. It’s not helpful,” she said.

“It’s weird. It’s like (Tibollo) was in danger,” she said, adding she wouldn’t require a vest to feel safe when meeting constituents.

—with a file from Julien Gignac