Hudak photo-op on transit nearly derailed by transit cops

TORONTO – A major transit announcement from the Progressive Conservatives nearly went off the rails today as transit officers put the brakes on leader Tim Hudak’s planned photo-op.

Hudak and a throng of media were in the process of boarding a Toronto subway train around noon Sunday when city transit police appeared and started asking about video camera lights and shooting permits.

The Tory leader was to ride the train with members of the media up to mid-town Toronto, where he was to unveil his party’s transit platform on a footbridge by a subway yard.

But after hopping on the northbound subway the trip was brought to a standstill by Toronto Transit Commission officers, who showed up and took umbrage with the light on a CBC camera.

They summoned the camera operator off the car and asked other TV journalists about permission to film on transit property, while Tory staff tried to reassure them no recording would take place.

With the train held up for about 10 minutes, subway riders started to get grumpy — one bellowed “come on” — and there were some tense moments before Hudak, who kept his composure, hopped off with the media following.