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Ombudsman in the News

14/08/2010 - Marin and LHINs; A review is in order (Windsor Star Editorial)
All across the province, Local Health Integration Network boards are bristling at a scathing report just released by Ombudsman Andre Marin.
12/08/2010 - The trouble with LHINs (Toronto Star Editorial)
When the Hamilton-area local health integration network (LHIN) passed a bylaw allowing board members to hold private discussions on closing emergency rooms, it flouted provincial legislation requiring public meetings.
11/08/2010 - Ontario's 'defensive and recalcitrant' health network; Probe into health care organization leaves Ombudsman 'floored' by group's attitude and meaningless bafflegab (Globe and Mail)
It doesn't take long for entitlement and high-handedness - a.k.a. the rot - to set in at a government bureaucracy. Take the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant Local Health Integration Network, one of 14 little fiefs first announced six years ago by the Dalton McGuinty government, created legislatively in 2005 and up and running only in the few years since.
11/08/2010 - Ombudsman rips health body secrecy; Marin's report says Niagara-area agency used 'illegal bylaw' to hold closed-door meetings (Toronto Star)
Ontario Ombudsman André Marin has exposed a secret "illegal" bylaw that enables local health bureaucrats to hold closed-door meetings on hospital closures.
11/08/2010 - Ombudsman Marin is back, McGuinty can't change channel (Toronto Star)
With the report issued Tuesday by Ontario Ombudsman Andre Marin, you'd have to score it a pretty good day for PC Leader Tim Hudak and NDP Leader Andrea Horwath.
11/08/2010 - Ombudsman slams health networks; More openness, accountability required, Marin says in report (Ottawa Citizen)
Ontario's 14 regional health networks, which collectively allocate more than $35 billion annually in provincial health-care dollars, need greater public openness and accountability, the province's ombudsman says.
11/08/2010 - LHIN meetings 'illegal'; Health agency slammed for secrecy, 'meaningless' consultation (Hamilton Spectator)
Ontario's ombudsman says "illegal" secret meetings and "almost meaningless" community consultation guided controversial decisions about hospital restructuring in Hamilton and Niagara by the local health integration network (LHIN).
11/08/2010 - Ombudsman blasts LHIN (Niagara This Week)
Ontario's ombudsman is blasting the Hamilton-Niagara-Haldimand-Brant Local Health Integration Network for holding secret meetings to discuss plans to close hospital emergency rooms.
11/08/2010 - Left unchecked, provincial agencies run amok (Welland Tribune)
The provincial ombudsman has taken on many provincial agencies that were previously untouchable, for all intents and purposes, and has indicted them with a stinging review.
11/08/2010 - LHIN meetings called illegal (Welland Tribune)
Ontario's ombudsman gave the province and the Local Health Integration Networks a slap in the face with his latest investigation, demanding that the Ontario government make improvements to its health corporations.
11/08/2010 - Health-care agency blasted (St. Catharines Standard)
The agency that funds hospitals in Niagara says it did nothing wrong, after being raked over the coals Tuesday by the provincial ombudsman.
11/08/2010 - LHIN critics feel vindicated (Niagara Falls Review)
It could be time to revisit a controversial hospital restructuring plan that closed emergency rooms in Fort Erie and Port Colborne, following a damning report Tuesday by Ontario Ombudsman Andre Marin, says Niagara Falls MPP Kim Craitor.
11/08/2010 - 'Clandestine' meetings illegal: Ombudsman (Niagara Falls Review)
The provincial agency responsible for health-care funding and planning in Niagara illegally closed several meetings to the public, Ontario Ombudsman Andre Marin has found.
16/06/2010 - Ombudsman likens reappointment to a 'gong show'; Outspoken Marin takes shot at Liberals during release of office's annual report (Ottawa Citizen)
Ontario's controversial ombudsman, André Marin, compared his messy battle for reappointment to a "gong show" Tuesday, as he called for a longer, 10-year fixed term for his position.
16/06/2010 - Bloodied but unbowed ; Marin still a bureaucracy-buster (Toronto Sun)
Ontario's watchdog is licking his wounds but insists he hasn't been muzzled, leashed or neutered.
16/06/2010 - Ombudsman back with a vengeance (Toronto Star)
In a world of fleeting fads, it's comforting to know that time-tested wisdom - like old songs, aged Scotch and ancient friends - frequently remains the best.
16/06/2010 - Watchdog calls his role 'bulwark of democracy'; In Marin's first report since attempted ouster, ombudsman outlines work done in past year (Toronto Star)
A growing number of Ontario families say they are being forced to consider giving up custody of their severely disabled children to get them the care they need, Ombudsman André Marin said Tuesday during the release of his annual report.
15/06/2010 - Ombudsman helps families of special needs children keep custody of kids (Canadian Press)
Dozens of Ontario families are still being asked to give up custody of their special needs children in order to get the care they need, Ontario's ombudsman said Tuesday.
04/06/2010 - Smearing Marin is a disgrace (Toronto Sun)
Now that the Liberal smear campaign to prevent Ontario Ombudsman Andre Marin from being reappointed to a second, five-year term has failed, it's time to take steps to prevent this disgraceful affair from ever being repeated.
03/06/2010 - Ombudsman's autonomy tested; The smear campaign unleashed on Andre Marin undermines the independence of all watchdogs (Toronto Sun)
Now that provincial ombudsman Andre Marin has suffered a near-death experience, jobwise, you have to wonder if he really wants this re-appointment.
03/06/2010 - Best bosses are often the toughest (Toronto Star)
Well, André Marin certainly met Rudyard Kipling's definition of manhood - keeping his head while all about him were losing theirs and blaming it on him.
02/06/2010 - Liberals blink - Marin keeps his job; Ombudsman gets new 5-year term, despite facing what critics call 'smear campaign' (Toronto Star)
André Marin says he's bruised after a gruelling three-month fight to keep his job as Ontario ombudsman, but won't soften his attacks on the government when he finds taxpayers have been mistreated.
02/06/2010 - Ombudsman wins a second term ; Marin survives after harsh campaign (Toronto Sun)
Andre Marin won an unprecedented second term as Ontario's ombudsman, after a bruising reappointment process he said descended into McCarthyism and which he credited Premier Dalton McGuinty with stopping.
02/06/2010 - Reappointment of Marin ends ugly slur campaign; Ontario ombudsman to return for new five-year term (Ottawa Citizen)
Controversial provincial ombudsman André Marin was reappointed to a new five-year term Tuesday, signaling an end to an ugly smear campaign that had thrown his future in doubt.
02/06/2010 - Marin reappointed Ontario ombudsman for five years after Liberals back down (Canadian Press)
Accusations from government insiders that he was a tyrannical boss who abused a taxpayer-funded expense account took on tinges of McCarthyism, Andre Marin said Tuesday after he was reappointed as ombudsman.
24/05/2010 - Premier gives Marin a thumbs-up; Embattled ombudsman likely to get new term (Toronto Star)
Embattled Ontario Ombudsman André Marin is doing a good job and deserves to be reappointed to another five-year term, says Premier Dalton McGuinty.
23/05/2010 - Toronto Sun Editorial Cartoon
Click here to see the Toronto Sun editorial cartoon regarding the Ombudsman reappointment process.
22/05/2010 - McGuinty to renew ombud's contract; Marin to keep his job despite controversy, Liberal sources say (Toronto Star)
Premier Dalton McGuinty is poised to back the reappointment of Ombudsman André Marin despite an apparent Liberal-orchestrated smear campaign against the government watchdog, the Star has learned.
22/05/2010 - Marin fights good fight (London Free Press)
Andre Marin, the Ontario ombudsman, has done an excellent job helping the public. From the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp., cancer patients to vaccines for infants, he's been a steadfast fighter for the public.
21/05/2010 - Marin deserves another term (Toronto Sun)
An encouraging thing about political rumours is they often give warning of government intentions -- which can be denied if the public mood dictates.
20/05/2010 - Ottawa Citizen & Hamilton Spectator Editorial Cartoon
Click here to see the editorial cartoon that appeared in the Ottawa Citizen and Hamilton Spectator regarding the Ombudsman reappointment process.
19/05/2010 - Liberals push Whelan for ombudsman; Grits accused of smear campaign (Windsor Star)
As she nears the finish line for treatment of breast cancer, former Liberal Essex MP and federal cabinet minister Susan Whelan is in the midst of a Queen's Park controversy.
19/05/2010 - Tone down attacks on Marin: McGuinty; Criticism of ombudsman gone too far (Ottawa Citizen)
Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty presented another side to his government's stubborn battle against ombudsman André Marin Tuesday, saying disparaging remarks against the critic have gone too far.
19/05/2010 - Premier wants it both ways (Toronto Star)
Look no farther for definition of the word "shambolic." You'll find it in the process now underway to determine whether Ontario Ombudsman André Marin will be reappointed.
19/05/2010 - McGuinty bends on watchdog 'smears' (Toronto Star)
Smears of André Marin by Liberal insiders are getting "a little out of hand" as the outspoken ombudsman seeks a second term, Premier Dalton McGuinty said Tuesday.
19/05/2010 - Leashing Ontario's watchdog; Treatment of outspoken Ombudsman Andre Marin is sending a chilly message for the future (Toronto Sun)
It was tough to tell whether Premier Dalton McGuinty was simply being the "good cop" to his party's anonymous source bad one, or whether he's truly seen the light about Andre Marin.
18/05/2010 - Provincial Liberals hit over treatment of Marin; NDP critic says ombudsman a victim of 'scurrilous' campaign (Ottawa Citizen)
Ontario's Liberal government was slammed at Queen's Park on Monday for its handling of high-profile ombudsman André Marin.
18/05/2010 - Why the push to drop Marin? (Toronto Star)
In five years as Ontario's Ombudsman, André Marin has helped expose dozens of government failings on issues as varied as services for severely disabled children to lottery wins by insiders.
18/05/2010 - Liberals accused of Marin smear; McGuinty government reported to be source of anonymous sniping against ombudsman (Toronto Star)
The Liberals are conducting an underground smear campaign in their bid to prevent tough-talking watchdog André Marin from getting a second term as Ontario's ombudsman, opposition parties charged Monday.
18/05/2010 - Opposition says McGuinty 'smearing' ombudsman (Globe and Mail)
Accusing the Ontario government of a smear campaign against one of its best-known civil servants, opposition MPPs launched a formal process Monday that could end with the government being found in contempt of the legislature.
18/05/2010 - McGuinty complicit in Liberal 'skulduggery' against ombudsman: critics (Canadian Press)
Like the Roman leader who authorized the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, Premier Dalton McGuinty is washing his hands of Liberal ``skulduggery'' against embattled ombudsman Andre Marin, opposition critics charged Tuesday.
17/05/2010 - Ontario Liberals accused of interference in 3-party search for ombudsman (Canadian Press)
The Ontario Liberals are mounting a smear campaign against outspoken ombudsman Andre Marin in order to sabotage his chances of keeping the post, opposition critics charged Monday.
17/05/2010 - Search resumes for next ombudsman for Ontario; Initial process 'flawed', says official (Globe and Mail)
The Ontario government is going back to square one in its quest to end the impasse over who should be the province's Ombudsman. But the man at the centre of the controversy says he trusts Premier Dalton McGuinty to run a fair competition.
16/05/2010 - McGuinty denies report of bid to oust outspoken ombudsman; Liberals' relationship with Marin often tense (Toronto Star)
Premier Dalton McGuinty is dismissing reports that his government is trying to oust one of its most outspoken critics - ombudsman André Marin.
16/05/2010 - Search for Ontario ombudsman turns nasty; selection panel at impasse (Canadian Press)
Andre Marin's days as Ontario's most outspoken government watchdog may be numbered. An all-party committee tasked with deciding Marin's fate as ombudsman can't agree on who should get the job, prolonging a search that's sparked controversy from Day 1.
15/05/2010 - Ontario ombudsman under fire (Ottawa Citizen)
The McGuinty government is raising questions about the competence of Ontario's ombudsman as a competition to fill the post is about to resume -- an action that some opposition critics say is an attempt to discredit André Marin.
15/05/2010 - Province's environment watchdog gets 3rd term; But ombudsman still up in the air (Toronto Star)
Just weeks after Premier Dalton McGuinty said he wanted new blood as government watchdogs, Environment Commissioner Gord Miller will be reappointed to a third term Tuesday but Ombudsman André Marin remains twisting in the wind, the Star has learned.
14/05/2010 - Sought: another pit bull, or a tame Ombudsman?; Ontario parties at an impasse over choice of a replacement for André Marin (Globe and Mail)
Ontario's government and opposition are at an impasse over the fate of the province's most prominent watchdog. And it's not hard to understand why.
04/05/2010 - Marin needs to stick around; He's Ontario's best watchdog (Toronto Sun)
An ombudsman, by definition, is the public's watchdog -- an independent official whose mandate is to investigate complaints made by the people against the government and any of its publicly funded appendages. It's supposed to be a dog with teeth.
04/05/2010 - Silencing the People's Ombudsman
In late February, the premier announced that the contract of the provincial ombudsman, André Marin, would not be renewed beyond March 31, 2010. In his announcement, the premier claimed 'there was need for change' and for 'new blood' to take over the position. However, there was no hesitation on the part of the government to renew the contract of the information privacy commissioner's position to an unprecedented third term last year.
25/04/2010 - Marin's done a great job as ombudsman. Why dump him? (Toronto Sun)
Ontario Ombudsman André Marin is living on borrowed time. His five-year year term expired March 31 and the Ontario government is searching for a new ombudsman while Marin serves out a six-month temporary extension. While Marin has reapplied for a second five-year term, it seems Premier Dalton McGuinty would rather find a replacement. But why?
23/04/2010 - Canadian Running Magazine profiles André Marin
The Ombudsman of Ontario has taken on the property tax system and fraud in the lottery system. This year, he has a new challenge: to outrun his 11-year-old son.
21/04/2010 - Watchdog has earned new term (Toronto Star)
André Marin might just have been made for New Orleans. The man has style. He's oratorically rococo. He's expert in the French civil code. His opinion is what Cajuns call a lagniappe - a gift he'll give you for free. That's a lot of flair for an ombudsman.
24/03/2010 - Ontario ombudsman has term extended for 6 months (The Canadian Press)
Ontario Ombudsman Andre Marin will continue in the post for up to an additional six months while an all-party search committee considers candidates who have applied for the next five-year term.
11/03/2010 - NDP’s Peter Kormos proposes 10-year term for ombudsman to help prevent political interference (The Toronto Sun)
Peter Kormos knows a thing or two about the value of stinging criticism. In the heady days of the NDP government, the Welland MPP was ostracized by the ruling elite of his own party (read Bob Rae, now a Liberal elite) for being just a tad outspoken at the cabinet table. In the past, he’s been known to be fiery and feisty — and a maverick who’s not afraid to take on his own leaders. These days, though, he’s something of an elder stateman at Queen’s Park, offering thoughtful responses to thorny issues.
28/02/2010 - Dalton McGuinty dodgeball: Blizzard (The Toronto Sun)
Critics Andre Marin and Gord Miller exposed the premier, now their jobs are in jeopardy.
25/02/2010 - Reappointing watchdogs (The Toronto Star)
Ontario needs a more consistent, transparent process for appointing officers of the Legislature who keep an eye on everything from how the government spends our tax dollars to whether it is meeting its environmental objectives. Otherwise, the government is vulnerable to accusations - as have arisen this week - that it is skewing the process to get rid of bothersome watchdogs.
25/02/2010 - Watchdog roles need new blood, premier says; McGuinty defends decision not to renew critics' contracts (The Toronto Star)
Premier Dalton McGuinty has confirmed the government is seeking new blood in the watchdog roles of ombudsman and environmental commissioner, rejecting opposition charges he's scheming to silence two outspoken critics. "At some point in time, you've got to make a change," McGuinty said Wednesday, commenting on a Star report the government is not planning to renew the terms of Ombudsman Andre Marin and Environmental Commissioner Gord Miller, despite naming Information and Privacy Commissioner Ann Cavoukian to an unprecedented third term last year.
25/02/2010 - Transcript John Tory Show, Discusssion of Ombudman Renewal - Newtalk 1010 CFRB
You know, there just aren't very many people left, at places like Queen's Park, who really can instill fear into the government of the day and force some accountability; force some real accountability. That used to be the role of the Legislature, MPPs... even Government members used to be the ones that would actually get some stiffness in their spine from time to time and just say no, even to their own government.
24/02/2010 - 'Fishy' watchdog review slammed by opposition: Dalton McGuinty government not renewing contracts of troublesome critics (The Toronto Star)
The Liberal government is poised to defang two of its toughest watchdogs - Ombudsman Andre Marin and Environmental Commissioner Gord Miller - by not offering to renew their contracts, the Star has learned.
24/02/2010 - Watchdogs jobs up for grabs to silence Liberals' most vocal critics: opposition (The Canadian Press)
If the Ontario government is serious about being open and transparent in choosing new provincial watchdogs it should open up the hiring process to the public and media, ombudsman Andre Marin said Wednesday. Marin, whose reports have delivered more than a few bare-knuckled blows to the Liberals, environmental commissioner Gord Miller and integrity commissioner Lynn Morrison may all be looking for new jobs soon, as the government has decided not to renew their contracts. Instead, all three will have to go before an all-party panel and compete for their jobs with any outside candidates, if they still want it.
21/01/2010 - Transcript from John Tory Show
When I was the opposition leader at Queen's Park I used to tell the Ombudsman for Ontario, Andre Marin, that he was my best friend. And I told him that because he was a real crusader. He used his office, and when I say used his office I mean that in the best way: to fight for people. You remember, he took on the whole lottery ticket fraud, and when people were sort of buying their tickets in good faith, putting down their money, finding out that other people were somehow, you know, fixing the system, he took that on and he wrote a report and called a spade a spade and just said, look, that's fraud and we're not gonna put up with that.