Integrity Commissioner

Duties of the Integrity Commissioner

The role of the TDSB Integrity Commissioner includes:

Advisory Role
The Integrity Commissioner provides confidential written and oral advice to individual Trustees in respect to situations they face in the exercise of their official duties, relative to their obligations under  the Code of Conduct, other by-laws and policies governing their ethical behavior, and  the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act.

Upon request by the Chair, the Integrity Commissioner also provides opinions and reports to the Board of Trustees on general issues of ethics and integrity and policies that may intersect with the application of the Code of Conduct.

Investigative Role
An individual who has a concern about a potential breach(es) of the Code of Conduct can forward a written complaint to the Integrity Commissioner pursuant to the supporting Complaint Protocol by completing the complaint protocol form.  Complaints can be addressed through an informal or formal process. In the formal process the Integrity Commissioner can summon evidence and examine witnesses under oath.

If the Integrity Commissioner finds that a Trustee contravened the Code of Conduct, the Integrity Commissioner can recommend various penalties for consideration to the Board.  

Formal Complaint Process Chart

Informal Complaint Process Chart

Educational Role
The Integrity Commissioner provides educational programs to Trustees, which include Board Trustee training sessions, one-on-one meetings, annual reporting and posting of directives, guidelines and best practices on the TDSB webpage for the  Integrity Commissioner.

Integrity Commissioner - Questions & Answers

Contact:

Michael Maynard

The Complaint Protocol was adopted in June 2015 by the Board and reviewed and revised in November 2017.

However, the Complaint Protocol does include an informal complaint procedure that allows the Integrity Commissioner to have an informal discussion with the Member of the Board in an attempt to resolve the issue.

ADR Chambers specializes in investigations, integrity commissioner and ombuds services, arbitration, mediation, and other forms of dispute resolution.  Since 2011, professional neutrals with experience in mediation, investigations and adjudication have provided services through its Office of the Integrity Commissioner to Ontario municipalities and school boards.  A list of its integrity commissioner clients is available at https://adrchambers.com/integrity-commissioner/.  ADR Chambers staff handle the intake of complaints and monitor their processing in accordance with the applicable Code of Conduct and complaints protocol.  Michael Maynard is the lead for ADR Chambers’ provision of integrity services to the Toronto District School Board.

Michael Maynard is a graduate of Carleton University (B.A. – Law) and Durham College (Legal Administration Program and Certificates in Dispute Resolution). He is an Integrity Commissioner, investigator, mediator and facilitator with ADR Chambers.  Michael has over 15 years of experience with alternative dispute resolution in various capacities.

In addition to the Toronto District School Board, Michael is the Integrity Commissioner for the Durham District School Board and the Town of Grimsby and Interim Integrity Commissioner for Niagara Region.  He has acted as Integrity Commissioner by delegation and as an investigator for the ADR Chambers Office of the Integrity Commissioner for numerous other Ontario municipalities.  He has extensive experience with investigating and reporting upon alleged breaches of Codes of Conduct and providing advice to elected officials on their ethical obligations.

Michael has a background in political and public policy matters and understands government and governance. He was previously Special Assistant to an Ontario MPP.  He has co-chaired a healthcare summit, co-facilitated an economic development conference organized by Northern Ontario municipalities, facilitated a public complaint resolution process for the Ontario government, and led several town-hall meetings on locally important matters in his community.

Michael is also an investigator for the ADR Chambers Ombuds Office for banking and municipal matters. He has investigated a wide range of matters including workplace disputes involving discrimination, harassment, and bullying claims.  He is accustomed to managing confidential and sensitive matters and applying procedural fairness and natural justice in accordance with administrative best practices.  Michael is also a workplace restoration facilitator and works with both public and private organizations to help individuals rebuild and refocus following disruptive conflicts.

Michael has mediated more than 2,000 private and public disputes in areas such as employment relations, personal injury, contract, Statutory Accident Benefits and landlord/tenant.

Michael developed and taught Alternative Dispute Resolution courses at Durham College, has consulted on organizational and ADR systems design, and co-authored the post-secondary textbook Choices in Approaching Conflict: Principles and Practice of Dispute Resolution (Emond Publications), now in its second edition.