City watchdog eyes same job with province
Departing Toronto ombudsman looks to replace André Marin
Toronto’s departing ombudsman is hoping to take her boxing gloves to Queen’s Park as the next Ontario ombudsman, the Star has learned.
Fiona Crean confirmed she applied for the job last week but expects to have lots of competition, including current provincial ombudsman André Marin who has held the post for a decade and has said he hopes to stay for a third term.
“I’m sure there were many able, competent applicants for this role including the incumbent,” said Crean, who will be honoured Thursday night by the YWCA as one of its 2015 “Women of Distinction.”
In March she announced she would step down after six combative years to avoid a reappointment battle at city council she feared would “harm” the watchdog position.
“I’m sure there were many able, competent applicants for this role including the incumbent.” FIONA CREAN TORONTO’S OUTGOING OMBUDSMAN, TALKING ABOUT THE PROVINCIAL JOB
Crean’s term as ombudsman probing city staff conduct expires Nov. 21. Asked if she will stay that long, she noted her office remains busy with investigations but added: “I will have to see what happens and what unfolds.
“I’m looking at a number of opportunities. That (provincial ombudsman) one is certainly of great interest and I’m acutely interested in continuing to serve the public,” Crean said.
“There are opportunities across the country at the moment. The (federal) corrections investigator in Ottawa, the (Ontario) ombudsman, the integrity commissioner of Ontario, the (Ontario) environmental commissioner — there’s a long list. I’m not saying I’m pursuing all those.”
Marin, a high-profile, hard-hitting veteran of many big investigations, told the Star in February that he plans to reapply under the new allparty, publicly advertised selection process for provincial accountability watchdogs.
Last Friday was the deadline for ombudsman applications to be considered by the hiring panel chaired by Speaker Dave Levac and including MPPs from each of the three parties, who must agree on the final choice.
Marin’s term officially ends May 30, but last week Liberal House leader Yasir Naqvi wrote his opposition counterparts asking that it be extended, along with the term of the acting environmental commissioner, to Sept. 14.
“This would allow these two Legislative Offices to continue their work until the independent hiring panels . . . complete their work,” Naqvi wrote in the letter provided by his office to the Star.
David Mullock, Naqvi’s press secretary, said Wednesday: “We hope that the opposition parties will co-operate with our very reasonable timeline.
Marin’s headline-grabbing tenure suggests he won’t give up his office without a fight.
Marin sought and got last year an expansion of his oversight to include municipalities, university and school boards.
Bill 8, however, left Toronto mostly under Crean’s purview after she and city officials fought back, arguing Toronto is better served by one watchdog.
Now, the Ontario ombudsman can step in only if the Toronto counterpart refuses to investigate a complaint.
Crean set up the Toronto ombudsman office.
Her 34 investigations to date have included 320 recommendations, all accepted by city council.
She investigated inept city response for victims of the 200 Wellesley St. fire, TCHC unfairly evicting senior citizens and city hall security.
But her probes, including criticism of political interference into civic appointments and relentless calls for more resources made her political enemies, including former mayor Rob Ford and some city councillors.
Prior to her Toronto post, Crean’s experience included assistant deputy minister in the Ontario Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services, responsible for addressing systemic racism and sexism, and York University’s founding ombudsman.