Ford not in conflict of interest in Taverner appointment: Integrity commissioner
Antonella Artuso
Published:
March 20, 2019
Updated:
March 20, 2019 5:28 PM EDT
Ontario premier Doug Ford speaks to media on Wednesday, March 20 2019Antonella Artuso / Toronto Sun
Premier Doug Ford said he feels “vindicated” after Integrity Commissioner David Wake concluded he did not violate conflict of interest rules in the now-abandoned appointment of family friend Ron Taverner to the head of the OPP.
“It was my opinion that on the evidence, Premier Ford did not breach any of the sections of the Act, as alleged,” Wake said in the report released Wednesday.
“I found that the Premier stayed at arm’s length from the recruitment process and that he believed it to be independent.
“However, I found that there were some troubling aspects of the recruitment process and ultimately made the finding that the process was flawed.”
He reported numerous incidents where Ford’s chief of staff Dean French interjected himself into the appointment process, and produced testimony that the province’s then highest-ranking civil servant Steve Orsini felt pressured to hire a friend of the Ford family.
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“I find that there were some troubling aspects to the process that may have led, perhaps unintentionally, to a preference being given to one candidate,” Wake said.
Ford said he and his staff followed the “letter of the law,” and he accused the opposition of smearing the reputation of Taverner — a police officer with 50-plus years of experience on the Toronto Police Service.
“It’s proven after three months of the NDP and Liberals playing gutter politics, going after Ron Taverner, going after our government, it was finally proven through the Integrity Commissioner,” Ford said.
NDP MPP Kevin Yarde and Liberal Leader John Fraser both filed complaints with the Integrity Commissioner after Taverner was chosen to lead the OPP.
Taverner later asked that his name be withdrawn from consideration after opposition parties argued the appointment would jeopardize the independence and integrity of the provincial police force.
While Wake found no evidence that Ford had violated the Members’ Integrity Act, the Commissioner did raise concerns about the appointment powers of the premier and cabinet, especially when it comes to the OPP.
“I recommended that for a position of this importance, and given the sensitivity of the relationship between the government and the police in general and the OPP Commissioner in particular, there ought to be an established appointment process in place which is independent, transparent and readily activated with predetermined criteria and membership on the selection committee,” Wake recommended in his report
While York Region Deputy Chief Thomas Carrique has since been appointed OPP Commissioner, Wake recommends a new process be in place for his successor.
Ford did confirm a 15-year friendship with Taverner, and acknowledged he was at the cabinet meeting where the Toronto Police Superintendent’s appointment was approved, Wake said.
The pair chat and meet frequently at restaurants or community events in Etobicoke, and Taverner knows the Premier’s spouse and children, the report says.
Ford’s chief of staff French told Wake that he had mentioned Taverner as a possible candidate for OPP Commissioner in a conversation with Orsini.
“It was a referral,” Wake quotes French.
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There was also testimony that French personally intervened to have job requirements for the OPP Commissioner’s position be broadened, and that Taverner became eligible to apply under the revamped posting, the report says.
NDP MPP Taras Natyshak said Wake’s findings point to the need for a full public inquiry.
“It looks like a coordinated effort to do everything they could to push forward Mr. Taverner into this appointment,” Natyshak said.
“We don’t know at this point whether Doug Ford was doing Dean French’s dirty work, or Dean French was doing Doug Ford’s dirty work.”
Ford quoted Wake’s report which noted former OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino was hired after being interviewed by then-premier Dalton McGuinty and his chief of staff.
Wake said the NDP complainant was “engaging in overreach” in his allegations of closeness between all the parties involved in the OPP appointment.
The Integrity Commissioner also questioned how a document he provided to the NDP became part of court filings of former deputy OPP commissioner Brad Blair — a failed candidate for the top OPP job who has since pursued legal action.
The NDP denied handing over the material to Blair, Wake said.
aartuso@postmedia.com
http://torontosun.com/news/provinci...n-taverner-appointment-integrity-commissioner
Antonella Artuso
Published:
March 20, 2019
Updated:
March 20, 2019 5:28 PM EDT
Ontario premier Doug Ford speaks to media on Wednesday, March 20 2019Antonella Artuso / Toronto Sun
Premier Doug Ford said he feels “vindicated” after Integrity Commissioner David Wake concluded he did not violate conflict of interest rules in the now-abandoned appointment of family friend Ron Taverner to the head of the OPP.
“It was my opinion that on the evidence, Premier Ford did not breach any of the sections of the Act, as alleged,” Wake said in the report released Wednesday.
“I found that the Premier stayed at arm’s length from the recruitment process and that he believed it to be independent.
“However, I found that there were some troubling aspects of the recruitment process and ultimately made the finding that the process was flawed.”
He reported numerous incidents where Ford’s chief of staff Dean French interjected himself into the appointment process, and produced testimony that the province’s then highest-ranking civil servant Steve Orsini felt pressured to hire a friend of the Ford family.
Story continues below
This advertisement has not loaded yet,
but your article continues below.
“I find that there were some troubling aspects to the process that may have led, perhaps unintentionally, to a preference being given to one candidate,” Wake said.
Ford said he and his staff followed the “letter of the law,” and he accused the opposition of smearing the reputation of Taverner — a police officer with 50-plus years of experience on the Toronto Police Service.
“It’s proven after three months of the NDP and Liberals playing gutter politics, going after Ron Taverner, going after our government, it was finally proven through the Integrity Commissioner,” Ford said.
NDP MPP Kevin Yarde and Liberal Leader John Fraser both filed complaints with the Integrity Commissioner after Taverner was chosen to lead the OPP.
Taverner later asked that his name be withdrawn from consideration after opposition parties argued the appointment would jeopardize the independence and integrity of the provincial police force.
While Wake found no evidence that Ford had violated the Members’ Integrity Act, the Commissioner did raise concerns about the appointment powers of the premier and cabinet, especially when it comes to the OPP.
“I recommended that for a position of this importance, and given the sensitivity of the relationship between the government and the police in general and the OPP Commissioner in particular, there ought to be an established appointment process in place which is independent, transparent and readily activated with predetermined criteria and membership on the selection committee,” Wake recommended in his report
While York Region Deputy Chief Thomas Carrique has since been appointed OPP Commissioner, Wake recommends a new process be in place for his successor.
Ford did confirm a 15-year friendship with Taverner, and acknowledged he was at the cabinet meeting where the Toronto Police Superintendent’s appointment was approved, Wake said.
The pair chat and meet frequently at restaurants or community events in Etobicoke, and Taverner knows the Premier’s spouse and children, the report says.
Ford’s chief of staff French told Wake that he had mentioned Taverner as a possible candidate for OPP Commissioner in a conversation with Orsini.
“It was a referral,” Wake quotes French.
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There was also testimony that French personally intervened to have job requirements for the OPP Commissioner’s position be broadened, and that Taverner became eligible to apply under the revamped posting, the report says.
NDP MPP Taras Natyshak said Wake’s findings point to the need for a full public inquiry.
“It looks like a coordinated effort to do everything they could to push forward Mr. Taverner into this appointment,” Natyshak said.
“We don’t know at this point whether Doug Ford was doing Dean French’s dirty work, or Dean French was doing Doug Ford’s dirty work.”
Ford quoted Wake’s report which noted former OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino was hired after being interviewed by then-premier Dalton McGuinty and his chief of staff.
Wake said the NDP complainant was “engaging in overreach” in his allegations of closeness between all the parties involved in the OPP appointment.
The Integrity Commissioner also questioned how a document he provided to the NDP became part of court filings of former deputy OPP commissioner Brad Blair — a failed candidate for the top OPP job who has since pursued legal action.
The NDP denied handing over the material to Blair, Wake said.
aartuso@postmedia.com
http://torontosun.com/news/provinci...n-taverner-appointment-integrity-commissioner
