The Integrity Commissioner is responsible for providing policy advice, complaint resolution and education to Members of Council on issues of ethics and integrity. On March 19, 2018 Town Council appointed Edward T. McDermott, ADR Chambers Inc. as the Town's Integrity Commissioner.
Biography
Edward T. McDermott, ADR Chambers Inc.
He is a meditator, arbitrator and investigator with ADR Chambers Inc. with over 40 years of experience. Ted is an appointed member of the Discipline Hearings Panel of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) and also serves as a Vice- Chair of the Ontario Labour Relations Board. He currently acts as the appointed Integrity Commissioner for several municipalities.
Ted received his B.A. from the University of Toronto in 1964 and his LL.B. from Osgoode Hall in 1967. He was called to the Ontario Bar in 1969 and was then appointed to serve as law clerk to the Chief Justice of the High Court for the Supreme Court of Ontario, following which he commenced private practice as a partner with the firm of White, Bristol, Beck and subsequently Paulin, McDermott. He then joined Osler LLP where he was a senior partner and head of the firm’s Employment and Labour Department.
Ted has consistently been named as one of Canada’s top 500 lawyers in Lexpert/American Lawyer Media Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada and as a leading labour lawyer in Canada in many other publications.
ADR Chambers Office
- 180 Duncan Mill Road, 4th Floor, Toronto, M3B 1Z6
- Phone: 416-362-8555 or Toll-free 1-800-856-5154 Fax: 1-877-862-8825
Role of the Integrity Commissioner
An integrity commissioner is independent and impartial, and reports directly to Council. In addition to specific powers and duties that Council may choose to assign, the core functions of an integrity commissioner are set out in the Municipal Act, 2001.
The responsibilities of the Integrity Commissioner include:
- Providing advice to Council on the Code of Conduct for Members of Council and on Codes of Conduct applicable to members of the Town’s local boards;
- Providing advice to Council on the development of procedures, rules and policies of the municipality governing the ethical behaviour of members of Council and of local boards;
- Acting as a proactive educator for Council and local boards, the Civic Administration and the public;
- Serving as an advisor to individual members of Council and local boards in relation to the applicable Code of Conduct and any procedures, rules and policies of the municipality governing their ethical behaviour, including the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act;
- Receiving and reviewing complaints about breaches of ethical behaviour including conflict of interest matters, and seeking an appropriate resolution in each case;
- Where it is in the public interest to do so, conducting formal investigations and making findings and recommendations to Council or the applicable local board;
- Providing periodic reports to Council, summarizing their activities and summarizing important developments in the field.
Who can file a complaint?
Members of the public, Town Council and other Town employees can file a complaint.
What is the process for filing a complaint?
A complaint can be filed by following the Complaint and Investigation Protocol. Please include the Consent and Confidentiality Agreement Form with the Affidavit.
Does the Integrity Commissioner investigate complaints about Town employees?
No. The Integrity Commissioner does not have any authority over Town employees.
Can an anonymous complaint be filed?
No. The complaint protocol does not allow anonymous complaints.