Green Party leader, Mike Schreiner released the following statement on news of the firing of deputy OPP commissioner Brad Blair:

“The entire hiring process smells of political interference, and the only way to make it right is for the Premier to say that Ron Taverner will not become the next commissioner of the OPP.

The Premier’s track record is to reward his friends with high-paid appointments and punish his foes by using his power.

We need a Jody Wilson-Raybould on the government benches to speak truth to power and tell the Premier to stay out of police business.

The abrupt dismissal of a whistleblower who was critical of Ford’s continual interference breaks public trust in the integrity and independence of the OPP.

We need an independent investigation to determine if Mr. Blair’s firing was an act of revenge for airing the Premier’s dirty laundry.

And we need the Premier to remove his friend Ron Taverner from contention as OPP commissioner.”

source: media release, Green Party of Ontario