Article content continued

And he misidentified a police officer he said attacked him on the social media website.

The ombudsman has repeatedly posted about investigations — including into the G20 — before they were wrapped.

“I see him making pronouncements on things, especially on social media, especially on Twitter that, in my view, are just totally inappropriate for somebody in his position,” said Andrew Sancton, a political science professor at the University of Western Ontario. “It’s the way he pronounces on different issues when he’s not seized of them. Even sometime I think he’s made preliminary comments about things that he is investigating. I just don’t think that he conducts himself in an appropriate way.”

He’s definitely gloated over the results of elections and I think that’s outrageous

Then there’s his very public comments about his open meetings push with various municipalities. After the recent municipal elections in Sudbury and London, he claimed some responsibility for incumbents losing their seats. Sancton and Marin have previously traded barbs over that issue and the ombudsman’s efforts to oversee all aspects of Ontario municipalities.

“He’s definitely gloated over the results of elections and I think that’s outrageous,” Sancton said. “Somebody in his position, you make your report. Then after that you stay silent and let the political process take its course”.

Marin said he and Sancton simply disagree on the role of provincial oversight of municipalities, and that part of his job is to promote his forthcoming oversight of municipalities as well as his past open meetings work.