Three watchdog jobs rolled into one by Conservatives
The positions of three independent officers will be rolled into the purview of the auditor general and the provincial ombudsman as part of cost-cutting measures. Here’s what they do, and what will be affected
ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONER OF ONTARIO
What the office does: Plays a watchdog role over the 1993 Environmental Bill of Rights, which sets out minimum levels of public participation before the Ontario government makes decisions on certain kinds of environmentally significant proposals for policies, acts, regulations and instruments. The commissioner also reports on the implementation of and compliance with the bill of rights, as well as the province’s progress on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving energy conservation and efficiency. Who has the job: Dianne Saxe, a top environmental lawyer who ran her own environmental law office for 25 years. In 2016, when she was awarded the job, she said the job gave her “a flashlight, a can opener and a megaphone.” Example of what this office does: On Tuesday in her annual report, Saxe said an “astonishing amount” of pollution from raw municipal sewage, agricultural manure or fertilizer run-off, toxic waste and road salt still flows into Ontario’s lakes and rivers. The report, in four volumes, called on the province to limit water pollution, commit funding toward programs that protect municipal drinking water sources and increase the protection of wetlands, woodlands, and wildlife. Saxe’s most recent report on climate change, released in September, criticized the Ontario government’s repeal of the cap-and-trade program. Comment: “There is no public interest justification for this ill-conceived proposal,” said Canadian Environmental Law Association lawyer Richard Lindgren in a statement. “For over 25 years, the ECO has helped hold successive provincial governments accountable for their environmental decision-making, and the ECO has assisted countless Ontarians in exercising their legal rights under the Environmental Bill of Right.” ONTARIO CHILD ADVOCATE What the office does: Created in 2007, the advocate provides an independent voice for children and youth, including First Nations children and those with special needs. It also conducts investigations on issues concerning children under the care of a children’s aid society or a residential licensee. The office gets thousands of requests for help every year and may advocate on behalf of an individual or for changes in the system where a problematic pattern is identified. Who has the job: Irwin Elman is the former manager of the Pape Adolescent Resource Centre in Toronto, a program of the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto and the Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto. He was also the director of client service at Central Toronto Youth Services, a children’s mental health centre. Example of what this office does: Elman has said that he wants inquests for every child who dies while in the care of child welfare agencies, and urged that a review that probed the deaths of 11 young people should focus on their stories. He has also said he is increasingly concerned about vulnerable youth entering Canada as asylum seekers, and met with federal immigration and border officials so they could develop a plan to protect teens who come to Ontario on their own. Comment: In a statement, Elman said he found it shocking that he learned of the government’s plan through the media. “The law that this government intends to repeal clearly states that children and youth have the legislated right to contact our independent office privately, and to receive assistance from our office if they have concerns about the care that they are receiving from the government,” he said. “Our independence from government has been critical, and the detailed systemic reviews and investigations that we have conducted have repeatedly shone a light on systemic gaps and failures in the system that have put vulnerable children and youth at significant risk.” The Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies said in a statement that it is especially concerned about the impact on Indigenous and African Canadian children and youth, who are over-represented in the child welfare, criminal justice and mental health system. “The Ontario Child Advocate’s office played a vital role as an independent body that had the necessary expertise to listen and respond to the unique needs of children and youth,” said association chief executive Mary Ballantyne.
FRENCH LANGUAGE SERVICES COMMISSIONER
What the office does: Reporting directly to the legislature of Ontario, the commissioner ensures that the rights of citizens and the obligations of government and government agencies are respected under the French Language Services Act. The commissioner makes recommendations for improving the delivery of services in French and monitors progress. The commissioner may conduct independent investigations in response to complaints. Who has the job: François Boileau was appointed to the role in 2007 and was renewed for a fiveyear term in November 2016. He has acted as legal counsel for the Office of the Commissioner of Official Language and has held various positions with the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada. Examples of what this office does: In July, Boileau presented his 11th annual report, which urged the province to adopt an action plan on the development of francophone communities and the promotion of French. The report made projections on the francophone population to 2028 in Ontario, and drew up three scenarios. Even in the best-case scenario, where the francophone population had grown in absolute figures, its proportion relative to the total population would decline. Boileau called the findings “alarming” and called for an ambitious action plan to develop francophone communities and promote French. “The new Ford government needs to field the ball and immediately seize this opportunity,” he said. Comment: “He has an important role in making sure that the French Language Services Act is applied, including in hospitals, colleges, universities and municipalities,” said Aja Bessler, executive director of l’Association des communautés francophones d’Ottawa. “People have worked a long time to ensure that there was an independent officer to fill this role. His work was well-respected in the community. He didn’t have an enforcement role, but he had the ability to shine a light on problem areas.”