By Pepper Parr
July 10th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Dear Chief – you got sucked into the undertow when all you wanted was a short dip. Now you stand the chance of drowning.
There are things you can do and can’t do.
You can’t be seen at the race track too often.
If you fancy a fun game of poker – make sure it is with Judges and Crown Prosecutors.
You live in a rarefied world – we put you there because we expect you to be sold, upright and always setting that next to perfect example.
But then you responded to a tweet on a political issue and they dumped on you from every angle.
It was described to me as an “interesting fight on twitter between Jagmeet Singh and Chief Tanner.
Chief Tanner’s original comments. The back and forth is lengthy – interesting stuff though.
Sources are telling us that “Chief Tanner has used his office for partisan attacks before.” I don’t believe that for a second.
But having that kind of comment being made does nothing for you even though you are a big boy with broad shoulders. The thing that has to be defended is the integrity of the office you hold.
Politics can be a slimy world; nothing there for you.
Pepper Parr is the publisher of the Burlington Gazette. He has observed Chief Stephen Tanner since the day he was sworn in. He earned a degree in psychology from the University of Guelph.