Taverner delays swearing-in as OPP head
Amid firestorm of criticism, appointment awaits integrity commissioner review Ron Taverner, 72, was to be sworn in as Ontario’s top cop on Monday.
Toronto police veteran Ron Taverner has put his controversial appointment as OPP commissioner on hold, pending a review of concerns the hiring was influenced by his friendship with Premier Doug Ford.
The dramatic turnabout came less than 48 hours before he was to be sworn in as Ontario’s top cop Monday amid a political firestorm and questions about the independence of Ontario Provincial Police.
“Out of the greatest of respect for the brave men and women of the Ontario Provincial Police, I am requesting my appointment as commissioner be postponed until as such time the integrity commissioner has completed his review,” Taverner, 72, said in statement Saturday afternoon.
The move was welcomed by critics pushing for an investigation by the province’s independent integrity watchdog – including a lowering of the qualification requirements that allowed Taverner, who holds the Toronto rank of superintendent, to apply.
The number of voices raising concerns about the hiring process has been growing since Taverner’s appointment was announced Nov. 29, and included former OPP commissioner Chris Lewis and former RCMP commissioner Bob Paulson.
“We are very relieved Mr. Taverner will not be appointed Monday and sworn in,” deputy NDP leader Sara Singh told reporters Saturday at Queen’s Park.
“However we are still very concerned. Where there is smoke, there is fire. There are a lot of unanswered questions here.”
The New Democrats have called on integrity commissioner J. David Wake to look into “potential political interference” in the appointment of Taverner, a long-time family friend of the Fords who has served as a unit commander in their home turf of Etobicoke.
Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services Sylvia Jones, who along with Ford has repeatedly defended the appointment, accepted Taverner’s decision to step back for now.
“While the government has full confidence in Mr. Taverner, we will respect his request for a delay in his appointment, until such time as the integrity commissioner has conducted a review of the selection process,” Jones said in statement.
It is not clear how long the review would take and whether its details would be made public.
In the meantime, interim OPP commissioner Brad Blair — who was passed over for the top job and also sounded an alarm over Taverner’s hiring — will resume his duties as deputy commissioner of traffic safety and operational support command. He was named to the interim role upon the retirement of commissioner Vince Hawkes in early November.
Blair will also proceed with a court case aimed at forcing Ontario ombudsman Paul Dube to probe Taverner’s appointment, using more “robust” powers to summon witnesses and compel documents, said his lawyer, Julian Falconer.
Dube has rejected Blair’s request for a political interference probe, saying it falls outside his jurisdiction.
The new interim OPP commissioner will be Gary Couture, deputy commissioner of field operations.
In a statement to members of the police force Saturday, Blair said he understands the “preference for an alter- native interim commissioner and will co-operate in every respect.”
“I do not regret a single step I have had to take. I remain devoted to ensuring that the well-earned reputation of the Ontario Provincial Police remains untarnished,” he added.
“It is this credibility along with the perceived independence of our service that puts us in the best possible position to uphold the rule of law and keep the people of Ontario safe.”
The New Democrats are now calling for an “emergency select committee” of MPPs to investigate the hiring — with the power to compel witnesses in public sessions — in addition to the integrity commissioner’s probe. “We need to have answers,” Singh said. At this point, it’s unclear whether Taverner himself made the decision to ask his OPP swearing-in be postponed or whether he was prompted by the premier’s office, Singh added.
“That’s why the premier’s office needs to come forward and provide some clarity … We need to understand how this was allowed to happen, how rules were changed.”
Falconer said he believes the premier’s office directed Taverner to step aside, citing Taverner’s knowledge of a request to the OPP from the premier’s office for a specially equipped van to transport Ford.
“There seems to be a lot of communication between Supt. Taverner and the government.”
The Star’s Kevin Donovan reported Friday that Taverner was tapped for other top jobs, including head of the Ontario Cannabis Store, which he turned down. “Doug (Ford) wanted to do something for Taverner,” one source told the newspaper. Taverner has attended backyard barbecues hosted by the Fords and Ford Fest events.
Opposition parties will get their chance to grill Ford this week as the Progressive Conservatives have recalled the house from its Christmas break Monday to introduce back-to-work legislation to prevent a strike by the Power Workers’ Union, which threatens to shut down Ontario Power Generation’s nuclear reactors. With the first question period set for Tuesday morning, the Tories were bracing for difficult inquiries from the New Democrats, Liberals and Greens over Taverner’s appointment.
All the opposition parties have denounced the hiring given Taverner lacked the professional qualifications in the initial job posting. That posting, later amended, enabled Taverner, a superintendent, to apply for the post, which comes with a raise of almost $100,000 over his $178,000 Toronto police salary.
Established in 1988, the Office of the Integrity Commissioner keeps tabs on MPPs and “serves the public interest by encouraging and supporting high ethical standards that strengthen trust and confidence in the Ontario government,” states its website.
The office has a number of mandates, one of which falls under the Members’ Integrity Act. The “primary objective is to help prevent ethics violations before they occur,” and the office offers confidential advice to members of provincial parliament around 300 times each year, according to its website.
If a member suspects another member of crossing an ethical line, in contravention of the act, the member can ask the integrity commissioner through what is known as a “Section 30” complaint to look into the matter, and offer an “opinion.” An affidavit must be filed by the complainant to start the process.
The process involves a review to see if the complaint is within the jurisdiction of the office, followed by a decision on whether an inquiry will be conducted, and notifying the affected member of that decision. If the inquiry is on, the office then asks for written responses to the affidavit.