OTTAWA—Bill Blair is jumping into federal politics after a decade-long tenure as Toronto police chief and intends to run as a Liberal candidate in the upcoming election, the Star has learned.

“I want to remain in public service. I’ve spent my life there. I think it is the highest calling, so I look for opportunities to continue to serve,” Blair said in an exclusive interview.

“I’ve had some great conversations with the Liberals and with Mr. (Justin) Trudeau. It’s helped me make up my mind and, frankly, I’m excited about the choice I’m about to make,” he said.

That “choice,” to be formally announced in the weeks ahead, is the decision to throw his hat into the political ring.

Blair, 61, grew up in Scarborough, raised his family there and that’s where he intends to run as the Liberal candidate in the riding of Scarborough Southwest, currently held by New Democrat Dan Harris.

“I wear my Scarborough roots proudly,” said Blair, who served his last day as police chief on Friday.

He said the riding has a higher than average unemployment rate and more working poor than other parts of the city.

“I hope to be able to provide a strong voice for Scarborough. I think that’s a community that needs support from all three levels of government,” said Blair. Blair must first win the Liberal nomination in the riding. Former CTV anchor Tim Weber has already declared that he will also seek the Liberal nomination in Scarborough Southwest.

The recruitment of Blair is a coup for Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau and a boost for the Liberals in Toronto and across the country, given the profile of the former police chief, a senior party official told the Star.

“He’s an excellent community leader. He’s got a depth of experience I don’t think you would find anywhere else in the country,” said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

“We’re thrilled,” the official said.

In going with the Liberals, Blair rejected strong arm-twisting by the Conservatives to run with them, including personal overtures by senior cabinet ministers, a source said. Blair declined to comment, saying only that he had “respectful discussions” with a “number of people.”

“I was asked to consider a number of different options for the future,” he said. “I’ve made my choice and for me, it’s a values-based choice.”

Blair says his decision was cemented in personal discussions with Trudeau. It was influenced, too, by a major speech the Liberal leader gave in March that laid out a vision for liberty and diversity in Canada while condemning the Tories for a “corrosive” style of politics.

“It really for me articulated some of the things I really believe in and the things that I think make communities safer and more livable,” Blair said.

“In my conversations with Mr. Trudeau, I felt there was a tremendous alignment in our values,” Blair said.

In his speech, Trudeau accused the Conservatives of deliberately stoking terror worries among Canadians, warning “fear is a dangerous thing.”

Blair picked up on the theme saying that the “great threat to public safety is fear.”

“I understand the very real threat that terrorism presents to Canadian society and I think we’ve got to do everything we can to fight extremism and violence,” he said.

But he said that the communities impacted by radicalization cannot be further isolated as part of that terror fight.

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“Their help is critically important. I would not in any way further alienate them or isolate them. I would want to include them in the solution,” he said.

He shares Trudeau’s view on legalizing marijuana. The Conservatives have condemned Trudeau’s stance, but Blair said the current laws have done little to keep marijuana out of the hands of young people or organized crime from profiting from its sale.

“The decision to sell marijuana to a 14-year-old is often made by a gangster behind some apartment building,” Blair said.

“I think legalization, as long it’s coupled with regulation, is the way forward,” he said.

Blair brings an expertise in the obvious areas of law and order, justice and national security.

But during a lengthy conversation with the Star, he put an equal focus on what he says are other essential elements to a successful city — diversity, investment and opportunity for young people, which he says are vital to tackling issues such as poverty, discrimination and crime.

“I’ve said many times — I don’t think you can arrest your way out of some of the very complicated social problems that our communities face,” he said.

“Certainly, we need strong laws and we need to ensure they are properly upheld but, at the same time, we need to invest in communities and give young people better choices,” he said.

Blair joined the police force in 1976, following the career path of his father, who was also a Toronto officer. He took over as chief in 2005 and is credited with boosting the diversity of the force and putting a focus on community policing.

But his tenure was not without criticism or controversy, notably during the 2010 G20 summit held in Toronto, when police came under fire for their detention and treatment of protesters.

More recently, Blair has faced criticism for the police practice of carding, which involves stopping, questioning and documenting citizens. Critics say the tactic unfairly targets black men and has undermined police efforts to improve community outreach.

Blair had sought to stay on as chief but the Toronto Police Services Board had declined his offer to remain on the job, opting instead for new leadership. Deputy Chief Mark Saunders has been named the new chief.

Blair was piped out of police headquarters on Friday as well-wishers, police officers and department staff filled the atrium and lined the balconies above.

“It was really tough. I’ve been doing this for a very long time, almost 39 years. I confess, my heart was in my throat,” Blair said.

“I’m excited by the opportunity that Mr. Trudeau presents to me to continue to serve, to continue to make a difference,” he said.