PR exercise called 'Coffee with Cops' takes place in Toronto’s Gay Village

2024 Student Journalism Conference

Applications are now open for The Democracy Fund's third annual Student Journalism Conference. This is a one-of-a-kind, all-expenses-paid opportunity for young aspiring journalists in Canada!

TDF Student Journalism Conference 2024

E-transfer (Canada):
[email protected] - password RebelNews if required

Cheques made out to Rebel News:
Rebel News Network Ltd.
PO Box 61056 Eglinton/Dufferin RO
Toronto, ON M6E 5B2

Crypto

Several Toronto Police officers converged upon the Second Cup café in Hogtown’s Gay Village. Not to worry: the law enforcement rank-and-file were not there to investigate a crime scene, but rather, to sit down with members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community and… consume coffee and cake?

Indeed. The event was dubbed, “Coffee with Cops”. But then again, with crime soaring in Toronto these days, one could argue that this PR stunt was truly a questionable use of law enforcement resources.

Still, we decided to pay a visit and ask some 2SLGBTQ+-related queries. Turns out we were welcomed as if we were skunks descending upon the proverbial garden party…

And you’ll never believe who we met at the Coffee with Cops event – none other than Officer Rob Chevalier. He’s one of the presenters in the Toronto Police Service transgender training module that all cops MUST watch. Chevalier seems to be of the belief that misgendering someone is a heinous crime; therefore he advocates for gender-neutral language whenever possible. For example, he states that he’s currently unsure if his young relative is identifying as a niece or a nephew these days, so he simply calls that person a “nibbling.” No seriously, we’re not making this up. His relative has a moniker that actually sounds like a brand of licorice candy… or a can of corn from the Jolly Green Giant.

We wanted to know if there are other made-up names people should be using these days to avoid offence; alas, Chevalier gave us the silent treatment. Maybe we should’ve told him that we identify as transgendered folk (would you believe drag queens?) That’s because a few things become crystal clear in that Toronto Police transgender training module. Such as:

1. If it’s trans it’s good; and if it’s good it’s trans;

2. Transgender people should be treated in a special way because, well, these are special people;

3. And if anyone has a problem with the transgender agenda, then you are insensitive at best and a hateful transphobe at worst.

But seriously, shouldn’t law enforcement be carried out in a colourblind manner – in other words, should everyone be judged equally by the cops? 

We also wanted to know why so many people in the trans community self-identify as violent thugs only to have the police turn a blind eye to such thuggery in the name of… diversity? Inclusion? Equity? Political correctness?

Alas, Chevalier’s colleagues also gave us the silent treatment. Maybe they were too busy gulping down coffee and cake? Maybe it was something we said?