The newly appointed minister of Correctional Services and Community Safety Michael Tibollo is facing harsh criticism and accusations of racism after comments he made at question period at Queen’s Park on Wednesday.
The minister is also in charge of overseeing Ontario’s Anti-Racism Directorate.
Tibollo was responding to Brampton North NDP MPP Kevin Yarde regarding the government’s stance on carding. Yarde told the house he was stopped by police while driving at night simply because he is black.
As part of his response to Yarde, Tibollo said he had travelled to various areas to see the problems faced by racialized communities, including Jane and Finch. He said while there he had to wear a bulletproof vest.
“And it’s our job — 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 to make sure we build trust and that we have those tools provided to them to be able to do their jobs properly.”
WATCH: Michael Tibollo faces backlash for wearing bulletproof vest in Jane and Finch neighbourhood. Kamil Karamali reports.
The NDP were quick to pounce on the comments.
NDP Leader Andrea Horwath tweeted, “Conservative minister Michael Tibollo’s comment this morning about wearing a bulletproof vest at Jane and Finch is inexcusably racist. Anyone who would say something so divisive has no credibility to continue to oversee Ontario’s Anti-Racism Directorate.”
Yarde also called for a retraction and apology in the house.
Peppered with questions by reporters after question period, Tibollo refused to walk the comments back and stated police had given him the bulletproof vest to wear.
“I decided that the best way to learn on the job is to go out and see what people face every day as police officers, so the first thing I did was I went to Jane and Finch,” he said.
LISTEN: Anthony Perruzza, city councillor for the Jane-Finch area, invites Tibollo to join him on a bike ride
When asked about wearing a vest elsewhere in the city Tibollo responded, “Well, to be honest with you, to put on a bulletproof vest anywhere in the city to me is alarming, regardless of where it happens to be. There are issues that need to be dealt with, whether we talk about the guns on the street, whether we talk about gun violence.”
Premier Doug Ford is travelling to New Brunswick for the first minister’s meeting and was not available for comment.
Deputy Premier Christine Elliott told reporters Tibollo did not intend his comments to be taken as they were and would not classify them as racist.
Yarde and the NDP told the speaker they were not satisfied with Tibollo’s answer and would like to hear more.
Further debate on the question is scheduled for later Wednesday at Queen’s Park, though it’s not clear at this point if Tibollo will retract or apologize for the remarks.