Premier Doug Ford’s handpicked appointments to the Ontario Human Rights Commission raise questions about the integrity of the commission and its ability to combat racism, says a legal clinic advocating on behalf of Black citizens.

“Indeed, this seems to be one more step in Ford’s gutting of the human rights system in Ontario,” reads an open letter from the Toronto-based Black Legal Action Centre (BLAC), and is “further evidence of his complete disregard for a merit-based process with respect to the public service” in the province.

“We at BLAC, as members of the Black community, are alarmed, and extremely concerned, about the integrity of (the commission) and its ability to combat racism, anti-Black racism and all other forms of discrimination in this province,” reads the clinic’s call for support for human rights, sent out Thursday.

As reported in the Star Tuesday, the government quietly appointed an active Toronto police officer and a McMaster University professor with Progressive Conservative ties as commissioners, despite neither being among more than 300 applicants submitted for vetting by the rights watchdog.

The news drew immediate criticism for not following an agreed-to process for filling vacant commissioner positions, nine of which were allowed to lapse after the election of Ford, leaving only Chief Commissioner Renu Mandhane in place. Her five-year term expires in the fall.

Randall Arsenault, a 19-year veteran constable with the Toronto police service who has a large social media following and is an Aboriginal liaison officer, and Violetta Igneski, an associate professor in philosophy who has written on human rights, were both appointed Jan. 9 to two-year terms.

Commissioners work an average of a couple of days a month, cost $10,000 each a year, and weigh in on the direction of the commission, approve litigation and inquiries, and vet reports before release to the public. The chief commissioner is a full-time position.

Mandhane, and BLAC in its open letter, expressed concern that the appointment of a Toronto police officer comes as the commission is in the midst of an inquiry into allegations of racial profiling and racial discrimination by the Toronto police service.

Igneski is related to Jasmine Igneski, who served as a policy adviser to prime minister Stephen Harper. She was also a senior policy adviser to Mike Harris’s Progressive Conservative government.

“This attrition of commissioners, (Ford’s) apparent failure to appoint any that actually applied … and then to appoint only a supporter, and an active duty police service constable, appears to be an attempt to undermine the OHRC’s credibility,” reads the legal clinic’s open letter.

The Black legal clinic is funded by the province and headed up by Ruth Goba, a former interim chief commissioner with the OHRC.

Attorney General Doug Downey’s office said in a statement this week that Arsenault and Igneski were named “to support and advance the commission’s mandate to provide leadership for the promotion, protection and advancement of human rights, and builds partnerships across the human rights system.”

The statement said commissioners need to “have knowledge, experience or training with respect to human rights law and issues,” and the pair were appointed “in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code.”

The office gave no explanation why an agreed-to selection process with the commission was not followed.

Igneski has not responded to requests from the Star to speak about the appointment. Arsenault acknowledged receiving the Star’s request by email but has not responded to a request to speak further.

The police service said Arsenault’s “experience as a community-builder, youth mentor and Aboriginal liaison officer in his division will make him a valuable asset to the OHRC and his experiences with the commission can only translate positively” for the service.

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In September 2018, Arsenault attended Ford Fest in Vaughan in his capacity as a Toronto police community liaison officer, posed for a picture with Premier Ford, and lauded him for being supportive of police who had been shot that day.

On the caption of the photo with Ford, which Arsenault posted to Instagram, he said officers “have been taking photos with politicians in all levels of government and all political parties for quite some time now. I was proud to stand beside our Premier Doug Ford.”

Robert Benzie is the Star’s Queen’s Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie

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