Ontario ombudsman Andre Marin’s job is safe, but for how long?
After weeks of playing chicken in the press, the provincial Liberals backed down and reappointed the outspoken ombudsman to another five-year term last week.
It appears the carefully orchestrated leaks by government sources to lay the groundwork for Marin’s ouster came a little too late.
The all-party committee charged with selecting a new ombudsman made clear weeks ago that Marin was their choice, the best choice for the job.
Still, the embarrassing stories about Marin sending out high-paid staff to pick up his dry cleaning and to check on the cleaning job the hired help was doing at his rented Toronto condo made the headlines.
Mixed in the bad press were revelations some former staffers had taken their complaints about workplace conditions under Marin to the Ontario Human Rights Commission. Apparently Marin runs a very tight ship.
None of it should be a reflection of the job Marin’s doing as ombudsman. Under his watch, the Libs have been forced to take corrective action on several fronts. Marin’s been a one-man opposition party, keeping the majority Libs honest, something the MPPs in the opposition benches are finding hard to do with any consistency.
Still, that the unflattering stories made their way into the papers even after it was clear the job was Marin’s suggests the Libs may be laying the groundwork, softening Marin up for the big boot sometime before his new five-year term expires – perhaps as soon as after the next election when the Libs are likely ensconced in another majority the political price to pay will be negligible.
All it will take is for another skeleton or two to stumble out of Marin’s closet to start the chorus about him not having the confidence of the public to continue in such a position of trust, blah, blah, blah, and justify giving the ombudsman the heave-ho.
Marin may have won his job back, but his public image has taken a few hits, all of which gives him a little less wriggle room when it comes to his future reports on what the government isn’t doing right.
Marin’s a straight shooter, but will he show the same zeal as government watchdog knowing that whatever other stories are out there about him may be used by his detractors in the Premier’s office to colour, if not undermine, his efforts?
Minding his Ps and Qs has never been Marin’s style.[rssbreak]
