{"id":11070,"date":"2019-10-29T07:19:20","date_gmt":"2019-10-29T11:19:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/democracywatch.ca\/?p=11070"},"modified":"2025-05-25T07:19:07","modified_gmt":"2025-05-25T11:19:07","slug":"democracy-watch-files-application-challenging-ontario-integrity-commissioners-refusal-to-issue-public-rulings-on-premier-fords-staff-and-former-deputy-minister-possibly-violating-pro","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/democracywatch.ca\/fr\/democracy-watch-files-application-challenging-ontario-integrity-commissioners-refusal-to-issue-public-rulings-on-premier-fords-staff-and-former-deputy-minister-possibly-violating-pro\/","title":{"rendered":"Democracy Watch files application challenging Ontario Integrity Commissioner\u2019s refusal to issue public rulings on Premier Ford\u2019s staff and former deputy minister possibly violating provincial ethics rulesDemocracy Watch files application challenging Ontario Integrity Commissioner\u2019s refusal to issue public rulings on Premier Ford\u2019s staff and former deputy minister possibly violating provincial ethics rules"},"content":{"rendered":"

Integrity Commissioner\u2019s ruling last March on OPP Commissioner appointment contained clear evidence Ford\u2019s former Chief of Staff, deputy minister and possibly others gave preferential treatment to Ron Taverner and others<\/span><\/h3>\n

<\/span><\/h3>\n\n

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:<\/b>
Tuesday, October 29, 2019<\/p>\n\n

OTTAWA \u2013 Today, Democracy Watch released the application<\/a> it has filed in Ontario Divisional Court challenging Ontario Integrity Commissioner David Wake\u2019s refusal to issue a public ruling on Premier Ford\u2019s Chief of Staff Dean French (and possibly other Ford staff) providing preferential treatment to Ford\u2019s friend Ron Taverner, and also to Mario Di Tommaso and Chris Froggatt, which Democracy Watch believes constitutes a violation of the provincial government\u2019s ethics laws. Democracy Watch is represented by Rebecca Shoom of the law firm Lerners LLP.<\/p>\n\n

On March 25, 2019, Democracy Watch sent a letter<\/a> to Integrity Commissioner Wake and also then-Conflict of Interest Commissioner Sidney Linden calling on them to issue a public ruling on Ford\u2019s staff, and also former Secretary to the Cabinet Steve Orsini, providing preferential treatment in violation of Public Service of Ontario Act (PSOA) ethics regulations.<\/p>\n\n

Both commissioners refused to issue public rulings — then-Commissioner Linden<\/a> in late March, and Commissioner Wake<\/a> in early April. Commissioner Linden retired on May 1, 2019 when his office was merged into Integrity Commissioner Wake\u2019s office.<\/p>\n\n

On September 30, 2019, Democracy Watch sent another letter<\/a> to Commissioner Wake requesting a public ruling. Commissioner Wake responded with the same position<\/a> he had expressed in early April.<\/p>\n\n

There is nothing in the PSOA<\/em> that prohibits Commissioner Wake from issuing a public ruling, and the public has a clear right to know if these public servants violated the law.<\/p>\n\n

“There is clear evidence in Integrity Commissioner Wake’s ruling on the OPP Commissioner appointment process that Premier Ford’s former Chief of Staff Dean French and his former deputy minister violated Ontario government ethics rules by giving preferential treatment to Ron Taverner more than once, and also to Mario Di Tommaso, and that French also gave preferential treatment to Chris Froggatt, and that other Ford staff may have violated the rules,”<\/em> said Duff Conacher, Co-founder of Democracy Watch. “Hopefully Integrity Commissioner Wake will do the right thing and issue a public ruling finding Premier Ford’s staff guilty of violating provincial ethics rules.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n

“The public has a clear right to know whether its watchdog has found its government employees guilty of wrongdoing, and government watchdogs must also issue public rulings so the public can be sure they are enforcing the law fairly and properly,” <\/i>said Conacher.<\/p>\n\n

Commissioner Wake\u2019s March 20, 2019 ruling<\/a> on Premier Ford\u2019s actions concerning Ron Taverner\u2019s proposed appointment contained clear evidence that Mr. French and Mr. Orsini provided preferential treatment to Mr. Taverner in the offer of an executive job with the government\u2019s Ontario Cannabis store, and to him and Mario di Tommaso also throughout the OPP Commissioner appointment process.<\/p>\n\n

The ruling also contained clear evidence that Mr. French also provided preferential treatment to Chris Froggatt by connecting him (and him only) to give communications advice to Mr. Taverner. There was also some evidence in Commissioner Wake\u2019s ruling that Derek O\u2019Toole, then-Senior Policy Advisor in Premier Ford\u2019s office, and Greg Harrington, then-Policy Advisor to Mr. French, also provided preferential treatment to Mr. Taverner.<\/p>\n\n

See the Evidence from the Integrity Commissioner\u2019s Ruling on Premier Ford<\/a> that, in Democracy Watch\u2019s view, details the extent of this preferential treatment.<\/p>\n\n

All public servants in the Ontario government, including ministers\u2019 staff and the Secretary to the Cabinet, are prohibited by regulations under the Public Service of Ontario Act<\/em> from giving preferential treatment to any person or entity, and are required to \u201cendeavour to avoid creating the appearance that preferential treatment is being given to a person or entity…\u201d See the Summary of the Ontario Government Ethics Law and Regulations<\/a> for details.<\/p>\n\n

– 30 \u2013<\/p>\n

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:<\/strong>
Duff Conacher, Co-founder of Democracy Watch
Tel: (613) 241-5179
Cell: 416-546-3443
Email: info@democracywatch.ca<\/a><\/p>\n

Democracy Watch\u2019s Government Ethics Campaign<\/a> and Stop Bad Government Appointments Campaign<\/a><\/p>\n\n

Integrity Commissioner\u2019s ruling last March on OPP Commissioner appointment contained clear evidence Ford\u2019s former Chief of Staff, deputy minister and possibly others gave preferential treatment to Ron Taverner and others<\/span><\/h3>\n

<\/span><\/h3>\n\n

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:<\/b>
Tuesday, October 29, 2019<\/p>\n\n

OTTAWA \u2013 Today, Democracy Watch released the application<\/a> it has filed in Ontario Divisional Court challenging Ontario Integrity Commissioner David Wake\u2019s refusal to issue a public ruling on Premier Ford\u2019s Chief of Staff Dean French (and possibly other Ford staff) providing preferential treatment to Ford\u2019s friend Ron Taverner, and also to Mario Di Tommaso and Chris Froggatt, which Democracy Watch believes constitutes a violation of the provincial government\u2019s ethics laws. Democracy Watch is represented by Rebecca Shoom of the law firm Lerners LLP.<\/p>\n\n

On March 25, 2019, Democracy Watch sent a letter<\/a> to Integrity Commissioner Wake and also then-Conflict of Interest Commissioner Sidney Linden calling on them to issue a public ruling on Ford\u2019s staff, and also former Secretary to the Cabinet Steve Orsini, providing preferential treatment in violation of Public Service of Ontario Act (PSOA) ethics regulations.<\/p>\n\n

Both commissioners refused to issue public rulings — then-Commissioner Linden<\/a> in late March, and Commissioner Wake<\/a> in early April. Commissioner Linden retired on May 1, 2019 when his office was merged into Integrity Commissioner Wake\u2019s office.<\/p>\n\n

On September 30, 2019, Democracy Watch sent another letter<\/a> to Commissioner Wake requesting a public ruling. Commissioner Wake responded with the same position<\/a> he had expressed in early April.<\/p>\n\n

There is nothing in the PSOA<\/em> that prohibits Commissioner Wake from issuing a public ruling, and the public has a clear right to know if these public servants violated the law.<\/p>\n\n

“There is clear evidence in Integrity Commissioner Wake’s ruling on the OPP Commissioner appointment process that Premier Ford’s former Chief of Staff Dean French and his former deputy minister violated Ontario government ethics rules by giving preferential treatment to Ron Taverner more than once, and also to Mario Di Tommaso, and that French also gave preferential treatment to Chris Froggatt, and that other Ford staff may have violated the rules,”<\/em> said Duff Conacher, Co-founder of Democracy Watch. “Hopefully Integrity Commissioner Wake will do the right thing and issue a public ruling finding Premier Ford’s staff guilty of violating provincial ethics rules.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n

“The public has a clear right to know whether its watchdog has found its government employees guilty of wrongdoing, and government watchdogs must also issue public rulings so the public can be sure they are enforcing the law fairly and properly,” <\/i>said Conacher.<\/p>\n\n

Commissioner Wake\u2019s March 20, 2019 ruling<\/a> on Premier Ford\u2019s actions concerning Ron Taverner\u2019s proposed appointment contained clear evidence that Mr. French and Mr. Orsini provided preferential treatment to Mr. Taverner in the offer of an executive job with the government\u2019s Ontario Cannabis store, and to him and Mario di Tommaso also throughout the OPP Commissioner appointment process.<\/p>\n\n

The ruling also contained clear evidence that Mr. French also provided preferential treatment to Chris Froggatt by connecting him (and him only) to give communications advice to Mr. Taverner. There was also some evidence in Commissioner Wake\u2019s ruling that Derek O\u2019Toole, then-Senior Policy Advisor in Premier Ford\u2019s office, and Greg Harrington, then-Policy Advisor to Mr. French, also provided preferential treatment to Mr. Taverner.<\/p>\n\n

See the Evidence from the Integrity Commissioner\u2019s Ruling on Premier Ford<\/a> that, in Democracy Watch\u2019s view, details the extent of this preferential treatment.<\/p>\n\n

All public servants in the Ontario government, including ministers\u2019 staff and the Secretary to the Cabinet, are prohibited by regulations under the Public Service of Ontario Act<\/em> from giving preferential treatment to any person or entity, and are required to \u201cendeavour to avoid creating the appearance that preferential treatment is being given to a person or entity…\u201d See the Summary of the Ontario Government Ethics Law and Regulations<\/a> for details.<\/p>\n\n

– 30 \u2013<\/p>\n

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:<\/strong>
Duff Conacher, Co-founder of Democracy Watch
Tel: (613) 241-5179
Cell: 416-546-3443
Email: info@democracywatch.ca<\/a><\/p>\n

Democracy Watch\u2019s Government Ethics Campaign<\/a> and Stop Bad Government Appointments Campaign<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Integrity Commissioner\u2019s ruling last March on OPP Commissioner appointment contained clear evidence Ford\u2019s former Chief of Staff, deputy minister and possibly others gave preferential treatment to Ron Taverner and others FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:Tuesday, October 29, 2019 OTTAWA \u2013 Today, Democracy Watch released the application it has filed in Ontario Divisional Court challenging Ontario Integrity Commissioner […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11070","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/democracywatch.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11070","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/democracywatch.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/democracywatch.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/democracywatch.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/democracywatch.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11070"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/democracywatch.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11070\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18498,"href":"https:\/\/democracywatch.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11070\/revisions\/18498"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/democracywatch.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11070"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/democracywatch.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11070"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/democracywatch.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11070"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}