Amid a kaleidoscope of colour and vibrancy, the Toronto Police Service (TPS) unveiled its float – Diversity in Motion – and costumes that will be on display in the annual Caribana parade on Saturday.
This is the 19th year the organization is fielding a float in the parade.
For the first time, the TPS is part of a mas camp in the Jane-Finch neighbourhood that produced costumes and created five different sections – Sunergy, eco fusion, fortitude, cultural vibrations and Fusion Fury.
This year’s event theme is “A Cultural Fusion.”
“Representing the colours of the rainbow, this year’s costumes are a visual representation of the people, colour, the islands and the raw energy that make Caribana such a wonderful and expressive festival every year,” said Deputy Chief Keith Forde at the TPS Caribana launch at police headquarters.
Police board chair Alok Mukherjee noted that Caribana is a celebration of the richness and colourfulness of the kaleidoscope culture that characterises Toronto and Canada.
“The powerful spirit of this festival can be felt throughout the city in all of our neighbourhoods,” he said.
“…The title of our float aptly captivates the dynamic nature of this fusion. In this respect, the festival and the float are true symbols of our city.”
This year’s TPS launch included cultural representation from the Hawaiian Pacific Magic dancers and the Nachdi Jawani Warriors bhangra dancers.
“I am extremely pleased that this year, the Caribana festival is highlighting the importance of delivering inclusive police services,” Mukherjee added.
“It’s a concept that is vital to the vision of policing that our board strongly supports. As a board, we believe that we must include people from different backgrounds at all levels of the police service so that members of all communities in this city are full participants in the work of this organization.”
Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone who, along with Ontario’s Health Promotion Minister Margarett Best and former Cabinet Minister Mary Anne Chambers, attended the launch, said Caribana defines what Toronto is and has been since the street festival – North America’s largest – started 43 years ago.
“The city is a place of diversity, a place of festival, a place of culture and a place of fun and that’s why it’s so important that we get with the spirit of this festival,” he added.
National Basketball Association player, and Toronto mas band leader Jamaal Magloire, joined Forde and Mukherjee in presenting a Certificate of Appreciation to community worker Rick Gosling in recognition of his contribution and commitment to the TPS and the community.
They, along with Deputy Chief Tony Warr, cut the ribbon to launch the float that will include student participants in this summer's Youth in Policing Initiative (YIPI).
