After a heated debate that saw some councillors storm out of council chambers in frustration, elected officials voted unanimously to adopt four recommendations contained in a recent ombudsman report.

The report, which was released by Ombudsman Fiona Crean on Sept. 27, looked at the recruitment process in filling positions on boards, agencies and commissions since Mayor Rob Ford was elected.

Some of the reports major criticisms revolved around the failure of city staff in indentifying candidates with potential conflicts-of-interest and the interference of staff from the mayor’s office in the hiring process. The report also suggested that hiring was rushed and the city’s diversity policy was not followed in some instances.

“I was concerned as a member of council over whether or not this was politically driven, but we found that it wasn’t,” Coun. Michael Thompson told CP24 after councillors had a chance to question Crean about the report Thursday morning. “We are now comfortable with respect to what’s been stated.”

After spending most of the day debating the report, council ultimately voted 38-0 to adopt its recommendations at around 4:30 p.m.

The recommendations include:

  • Reviewing the Public Appointments Policy to correct any omissions or short-comings.
  • Consolidating responsibility for administering the Public Appointments Policy into a single unit.
  • Requiring that staff report in writing to the Civic Appointments Committee any known information about potential conflicts of interest.
  • Developing sustained community engagement strategies to attract and recruit applicants from diverse communities.

Report subject of intense debate

Though councillors ultimately decided to adopt Crean’s recommendations they didn’t do so without some drama.

At one point during Thursday’s debate Coun. Adam Vaughan rose to his feet to suggest the mayor’s office had “corrupted” the appointment process, throwing into question everything else.

That comment prompted speaker Frances Nunziata to immediately demand a retraction, however Vaughan only partially obliged.

“I apologize if the use of the word (corruption) has offended people but don't apologize for the word,” he said.

Coun. Gord Perks also got in on the action.

“We subjected professionals to threats and made their jobs grueling and humiliating,” he said. “That's what happens when we use our office as bully pulpit and contribute to the on ongoing demonization of public service.”

Later in the debate many councillors began pleading with their colleagues to adopt Crean’s recommendations and move on.

“These are good recommendations and there is no reason to do anything but thank her (Fiona Crean) for them and adopt them,” Coun. John Parker said. “To hear some of allegations you'd think someone committed murder around here.”

“I think we should just pass these recommendations. We don’t need to make political comments or put each other down over them,” added Deputy Mayor Doug Holyday. “Let's just pass them and get on with it.”

Mammoliti stands by comments

Crean’s council appearance came one day after councillors Giorgio Mammoliti and Gord Perks got into a heated confrontation over Mammoliti’s comments about the report.

The incident, in which Mammoliti and Perks argued nose-to-nose in front of the media, occurred after the outspoken councillor called the report ‘politically driven’ during a council debate and refused to rescind his remarks.

He later clarified that he believed some people interviewed for the report were politically motivated and not Crean.

“Yesterday I very clearly pointed to the politics involved and I kind of ruined the lefts’ day when I let the cat out of the bag and that’s why they got so upset,” Mammoliti told CP24 Thursday afternoon. “Today we learned, and I was right about this, that the ombudsman’s role isn’t to deal with the politics of this but the administration part and she has criticized staff as she should have.”

Speaking with CP24 during a lunch break, Thompson -- who sits on the civic appointments committee -- said there are valid concerns raised in Crean’s report.

“There is no doubt that the phases were rushed and we need to do a better job,” he said. “That’s what the ombudsman report is looking to address and I am very pleased to accept the report and work with staff and members of council to make sure we can get the best and brightest.”

Motion to block sale of Toronto Zoo

The council meeting, which began Tuesday, was originally supposed to wrap Wednesday but had to be extended into a third day to deal with a number of residual motions.

This evening, councillors are expected to consider 12 items, including a motion introduced by Mammoliti and Coun. Paul Ainslie to block the sale or lease of the Toronto Zoo.

Mammoliti said he decided to step back from his original desire to sell the zoo when he learned that any sale to a for-profit entity would jeopardize a previous deal to bring giant pandas from China to the zoo in 2013.

“The Chinese government will not give anybody a loan of pandas if you are profiting from those pandas,” Mammoliti said.