Brampton hires Vaughan integrity commissioner temporarily

Thestar.com
March 15, 2019
Graeme Frisque

The City of Brampton has appointed a temporary integrity commissioner as it continues its search for a permanent replacement for Guy Giorno, who resigned last year due to conflict of interest concerns due to his personal relationship with Mayor Patrick Brown.

Suzanne Craig --who currently serves as integrity commissioner and lobbyist registrar in the City of Vaughan --will fill in as Brampton’s integrity watchdog from March 1 to May 31, or until a permanent replacement is found.

Provincial legislation, which came into effect March 1, requires all municipalities to have an integrity commissioner in place; the city said that it expects to have Giorno’s permanent replacement hired by the end of May.

Craig has been integrity commissioner in Vaughan since 2009 --according to her biography on the city’s website, she has more than 20 years of legal, policy and management experience in both the public and private sectors. She was also appointed as the Toronto District School Board’s first integrity commissioner in 2016.

In addition to his role as integrity commissioner, Giorno also served as the city’s lobbyist registrar. He resigned effective Feb. 28 after serving only two years of a three-year term for conflict of interest reasons.

“I have known Mr. Patrick Brown for decades and it is a matter of record that we have worked with each other in (the) past. This places me and the new Council (in) an unusual position --one that was never in the contemplation of City Council, me, or, I daresay, Mr. Brown, when I was originally appointed to office,” wrote Giorno in his resignation letter last October.

Both Giorno and Brown worked under former prime minister Stephen Harper’s government; Brown was MP for Barrie from 2006 to 2015, while Giorno was Harper’s chief of staff between 2008 and 2011.

“I have worked with him in both provincial and federal governments. He has hosted events on my behalf and I consider him a friend. I respect his decision. It was the right choice,” said Brown last year.

According to staff’s report to council, Giorno declined a request by the city to remain in his role until his replacement could be hired, necessitating Craig’s temporary appointment.