Fired official back on job with CRTC

There’s more leadership drama at the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission after the Federal Court quashed cabinet’s decision to fire Raj Shoan, the commissioner for Ontario.

Shoan was back at the office Monday — even though the federal government is in the midst of an extended hiring process to replace him — after the court ruled late Friday that he was potentially denied procedural fairness when the Governor in Council fired him last June over allegations of workplace harassment and other actions “fundamentally incompatible” with the role.

Justice Cecily Strickland ruled that cabinet must reconsider its decision to fire Shoan since it was based in part on the harassment investigation that a judge tossed aside as flawed in September.

While Strickland found a “legitimate concern” over Shoan’s apparent disregard for some CRTC processes, she could not determine if he was afforded procedural fairness.

Shoan’s return comes less than two months before chairman Jean-Pierre Blais’ term expires.

Their relationship is fraught. Shoan filed several legal challenges against the CRTC and accused Blais of participating in a “witch hunt” against him.

As of Monday, all commission meetings were cancelled for the foreseeable future.

The CRTC referred requests for comment to Canadian Heritage.

Minister of Canadian Heritage Melanie Joly had no comment on the ruling, or how it might affect the hiring process for the other commissioner positions.

Shoan said he looks forward to continuing work with the CRTC.