We deserve a tough watchdog
With the task of selecting Ontario’s next ombudsman mired in partisan bickering, even to the point of failing to agree on a temporary appointment, the Liberal government has had to step in.
In a public repudiation of incumbent André Marin, it named deputy ombudsman Barbara Finlay to interim leadership on Tuesday, pending selection of a permanent, full-time replacement.
It’s unfortunate that finding a parliamentary watchdog has been such a tortuous and unseemly mess, especially since the ombudsman’s task is to protect people from mistreatment by Ontario’s bureaucracy and government.
To maintain the public’s trust it’s essential for anyone doing this work to operate with professionalism, independence and integrity. It’s vital that they not only be impartial, but are perceived to be so. The office is too important to countenance any doubt in this area.
On the whole, Marin has served Ontarians well through more than a decade in office, having competed two five-year terms plus a recent extension. He has effectively probed topics ranging from Hydro One billing errors to police excesses, from shoddy oversight of private colleges to problems with disability support payments. He produced compelling reports that often led to reforms.
But it’s also true that Marin has often been his own worst enemy. Even as he crusaded against wrongdoing, he repeatedly indulged in ill-judged behaviour, especially online.
Back in May, for example, before receiving an extension in office, Marin exhorted his legion of Twitter followers to “MAKE SOME NOISE PLEASE!” and press for him to keep his job.
They responded with a predictable deluge of verbiage, with Marin rashly retweeting a series of absurd comments, such as comparing Ontario’s Liberal government to a “banana republic.” Marin initially declined to discuss this history at a farewell news conference on Monday, but then attempted to justify his actions by saying that, in his situation, “maybe you would consider social media as well.”
He also said he intends to reapply for his job and said the integrity of the selection process thus far had been “compromised by crass politics” on the part of a government determined to ditch him. “It does not appear they were interested in the best person for the job,” Marin told reporters.
Unfortunately in taking this stand, especially in light of his earlier tweets, Marin has effectively disqualified himself from the post. If he truly believes the government has engaged in an unprincipled campaign to oust him, how could he investigate its actions in an impartial and dispassionate way?
For the sake of the office he has served so well, Marin should abandon his effort to cling to his post. Two five-year terms are enough. It’s time to move on.
The most important thing is that Ontario has an active, aggressive ombudsman who won’t be afraid to hold the government to account. There’s no lack of good candidates for the position, and it’s vital that the all-party committee tasked with finding a successor to Marin lose no time in coming up with a name.
The government, in particular, has a special responsibility to make sure the next ombudsman is no tame lapdog — even if that means ministers have to endure sharp criticism from time to time. Ontarians have gotten used to having an effective check on government missteps, and that’s something they don’t deserve to lose.
It’s time for André Marin to move on, but the province still needs a tough-minded ombudsman