Conservatives demean democracy with more patronage appointments

February 23, 2024

GUELPH — Ontario Greens Leader and MPP for Guelph Mike Schreiner released the following statement in response to news that the Ford government has appointed two former PC staffers to the Judicial Appointments Advisory Committee.

“Government appointments should be based on merit – not on whoever happens to have recently completed a stint in the Premier’s office.

For years, the Ford government has used the public purse to give cushy jobs to well-connected PC insiders.

Not only does this politicize what’s supposed to be an independent process – it erodes public trust in our system of government.

Greens call on the Ford government to clean up their patronage appointment mess by:

• Fixing the appointments process to include merit-based criteria;
• Standardizing transparency measures;
• Making results of Integrity Commissioner investigations public;
• Adding a public complaints and investigation process;
• Striving for diversity and gender parity;
• Strengthening appointment process for Special Advisors and short-term Advisory Bodies; and
• Establishing a committee to reform the appointments process.”

-30-