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OTTAWA — As part of the much-scrutinized process that led to Madeleine Meilleur being nominated as Canada’s official languages commissioner this spring, the federal government spent almost $77,000 on a headhunting firm, part of more than $2 million spent on “executive search” services this year alone.

Much-delayed ethics, lobbying and information commissioner positions are also being supported by such services, the government has confirmed.

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An Ottawa headhunting firm was just one cog in what many viewed as a botched appointment. It all started just before the previous official languages commissioner, Graham Fraser, resigned after a decade on the job.

The first day of December, the government’s appointments website announced it was accepting applications. On Dec. 19, an interim commissioner took over.

The deadline for applications was set for Jan. 9, exactly six months after Meilleur resigned as Attorney General of Ontario. The Ottawa-area MPP had previously served as the provincial minister responsible for francophone affairs.