Blair a "poster child" abuse of power victim: lawyer
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Former OPP deputy commissioner Brad Blair’s dismissal left the 32-year policing veteran and his family devastated but undeterred, his lawyer Julian Falconer said.
“If you want to know what abuse of power looks like in 2019, the firing of Brad Blair is precisely a walking poster child for abuse of power,” Falconer said Wednesday during a conference call with members of the media.
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Blair is in the courts trying to get the Ontario Ombudsman’s Office to investigate why he and others were passed over for the OPP Commissioner position in favour of Ron Taverner, a long-time Toronto Police officer and friend to Premier Doug Ford.
On Monday, the government announced Blair had been fired for the inappropriate public release of information about internal OPP matters and for speaking to the media without permission.
Community Safety Deputy Minister Mario Di Tommaso was involved in both the hiring of Taverner — a former colleague — and the firing of Blair, Falconer said.
Di Tommaso was the “tool” that Ford tried to use to make both staffing changes happen, he said.
The Police Services Act provides a range of procedures for firing an officer, and none of that was followed in Blair’s case, said Falconer.
“It is legally embarrassing to suggest he ceased being a police officer because a deputy minister is unhappy with being made accountable,” Falconer said.
In the Ontario Legislature Wednesday, Community Safety Minister Sylvia Jones insisted there had been no political interference in Blair’s firing.
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Blair released information in violation of his oath of office and was held to account for that by the Public Service Commission, she said.
“This individual didn’t get the job he applied for. He is angry. He has chosen a path,” Jones said.
“We are supporting the decision of the Public Service Commission to rescind his order in council. He no longer works for the OPP because the OPP did not support his actions and believe that he contravened his oath of office as an Ontario public servant.”
Falconer did not reveal any next steps for Blair.
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