Video Contradicts MPP Hillier's Verson of Son's Tasering

Jeff Green | Dec 09, 2020

(Note - a phone video of the incident was posted on Youtube)

Hillier complains to commissioner about police tasering his son for defending a friend – OPP and Hillier accounts differ in tone.

At first glance, a tweet on Saturday morning (December 5) looked like the kind of tweet the MPP Hillier has become known for, an attack on one of the many institutions in Ontario and beyond who have been established and enforced restrictions in response to COVID-19, particularly as regards the mandatory wearing of masks, which Hillier vigorously opposes.

“The new normal. People tasered in the back in Ontario speaking up for those who can’t wear a mask  @OPP_ER Is this what we’ve become, no dissent, no accommodation just force.”

But, it turned out that there was a more personal connection to the case, as MPP Hillier also re-posted a tweet of his from the evening before (December 4)

“@OPP-ER tasered my son in the back tonight in Perth. The crime, my son’s friend went to the bar to order a beer wasn’t wearing a mask. The owner of the Arrow pub called the cops. My sons stood up and explained their friend is exempt from mask wearing, their both in jail #onpoli”

Later on Saturday afternoon, a release from Sgt. Bill Dickson, media relations coordinator with OPP (East Region) described the incident as follows:

“Members of the Lanark Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) have charged two people after an incident in downtown Perth.

On December 4, 2020, shortly before 10:30 p.m., officers responded to a bar on Foster Street. The owner requested police remove several individuals, as a result of a dispute over a failure to wear face masks, which are required under provincial health regulations. Business owners may request that patrons leave their premises and can request police assistance if patrons fail to do so under the Trespass to Property Act.

While one individual left voluntarily, others were escorted from the location. Once outside, individuals refused to leave the area and became assaultive with officers. A Conducted Energy Weapon (CEW) was deployed and two individuals were arrested.

The males were charged with Public Intoxication under the Liquor Licensing Act and were released in the morning.”

In a subsequent email to the News in response to our email asking why the individuals referred to in the release had not been name, Sgt. Dickson wrote:

"These are not Criminal Code charges, they are Provincial Offences Act charges.  We normally do not release names, same as for traffic offences."

Still later this afternoon, MPP Hillier released, via twitter, a letter he sent today to OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique under MPP Hillier’s Queen’s Park banner.

In the letter, Hillier pointed out that he has written to the commissioner before to voice his concerns over “inappropriate actions by the OPP” in enforcing “facial covering policies.”

He then took the opportunity to describe the events that took place on Friday evening at and outside of the Arrow Pub on Foster Street in Perth.

“Last evening on December 4 there was another escalation that on review of the evidence demonstrates police officers are becoming increasingly belligerent and aggressive towards perceived violations of facial covering policies. It is apparent that many of the OPP officers remain uninformed of the orders they are enforcing. It is this lack of knowledge by both the Police and business that is leading to unnecessary violence and abuse of the law.

“In this latest instance an individual was physically escorted out of a pub in downtown Perth for failure to wear a facial covering while drinking with my two sons.

“Once outside by two sons attempted to diffuse the outrage of the individual removed from the premises, as he was in a highly agitated state. As they attempted to de-escalate the situation, my eldest son Dillon, a Canadian Forces veteran was thrown to the sidewalk by the police, at which point my youngest son Clayton stepped into the unoccupied space between the police and Dillon, to act as a shield to prevent further physical violence against Dillon by the police.

“Clayton was then tasered in the back and immediately fell to the ground. Both of my sons were then handcuffed and detained overnight in the Perth OPP jail. My sone Dillon was issued a POA for intoxication, my son Clayton, who tasered, was not charged with any violations. The individual who was escorted from the premised was driven home by the OPP and was not charged with any offenses.”

Hiller also said in the letter that he has spoke with OPP Constable Mcnames “after being informed of the incident, who stated ‘my son Dillon was intoxicated and bumped into him’ during the incident, justifying the use of force. There was no physical contact nor threatening nor aggressive behaviour other than that initiated by the OPP constables.”

Click here to read the entire letter

When asked to confirm the contents of statement to Hillier by Constable Mcname, OPP Communication Co-ordinator Dickson, wrote back on Saturday evening, saying, “while I am aware of the letter, I cannot confirm what may or may not have been said by anyone as I was not there. I also cannot comment on any allegations made in the letter.”

(Editors Note - There is nothing in MPP Hillier’s tweets or letter to the OPP Commissioner that suggests that he was an eye witness to the events that he describes in detail within his letter. While he does not say how he knows the critical details he describes, it seems likely he learned the details by talking to one or both of his sons, the other individual who was involved in the case, or another bystander. The News has emailed MPP Hillier asking him about the sources he used for the detailed description of the events that he provided to the OPP.)