Former OPP deputy head sues to get job back
Blair, who blew whistle on plush Ford van, would accept retirement benefits
A senior Ontario Provincial Police officer who was fired by the provincial government after exposing Premier Doug Ford’s push for a customized travel van with a reclining sofa, minifridge and television is now pushing to get his old job back.
Brad Blair has filed a wrongful dismissal grievance with the Public Service Grievance Board, seeking to return to the rank of chief superintendent or be retired “with all the rights and privileges” to which he would have been entitled as a 32-year veteran of the force.
It’s the latest in a series of legal moves by Blair, who was passed over for the OPP commissioner’s job initially given to Ford’s friend Ron Taverner. Blair has since filed a $5-million lawsuit against Ford that alleges the premier defamed him by saying Blair had breached the Police Services Act.
Blair was appointed interim commissioner by the Ford government after Vince Hawkes retired last fall. He was fired in person on March 4 by Mario Di Tommaso, the deputy minister of community safety, following a meeting of the nine-member Public Service Commission headed by Diane McArthur.
At the time, Community Safety Minister Sylvia Jones accused Blair of releasing “private information for personal gain” regarding the $50,000 van customization and a profane tirade by Ford about new faces on his OPP security detail.
That information was revealed in a court case Blair initiated to have Ontario’s ombudsman review the Nov. 29 hiring of Taverner, a 72-year-old Toronto police superintendent whose territory included Ford’s home turf of Etobicoke, amid concerns of cronyism.
The grievance application from Blair, who has called his firing a “reprisal” for trying to block the Taverner appointment, was filed May1and maintains he was dismissed with no efforts to resolve matters.
“Neither the deputy minister nor Chair McArthur engaged in any dispute resolution with Mr. Blair,” states the 37-page document filed with the grievance board.
“Mr. Blair was summarily fired, without notice, without an opportunity to know the case against him, without an opportunity to reply, and without a hearing, all of which is required for discipline of any provincial police officer under the (Police Services Act).”
The dismissal sent a chill through the ranks of the OPP, the grievance contends. “Thousands of police officers are now at risk of being summarily fired by bureaucrats for any reason,” it says.
Blair is requesting mediation of his claim.
No date has been said for any proceedings and the government has not filed a response. A lawyer for the Ministry of the Attorney General has previously stated the firing was justified, and Jones has said it was appropriate because Blair reported to Di Tommaso as deputy minister.
“As the matter is before the Ontario Public Service Grievance Board, it would be inappropriate to comment further,” Ford spokesperson Ivana Yelich said in a statement Monday.
“The premier’s concern is and always has been protecting and supporting the front-line OPP officers who put their lives on the line everyday to protect our communities.”
On Dec. 15, Taverner asked that his appointment be delayed pending an investigation by Ontario’s integrity commissioner into any involvement by the premier.
The hiring had sparked concerns about the independence of the OPP, which can be called upon to investigate provincial politicians.
Ford was eventually cleared, but the integrity commissioner’s report cautioned the hiring process was “troubling” and “flawed.”
On March 6, two days after Blair was fired, Taverner withdrew his name from consideration for the job. The government then appointed York Regional Police deputy chief Thomas Carrique as OPP commissioner.
Allegations against Ford in the defamation lawsuit have not been proven in court. The premier’s office said Ford will be replying through his legal counsel.