Principles Integrity Named as City of Mississauga’s Integrity Commissioner Firm

At today’s meeting of Council, Principles Integrity was approved as the City of Mississauga’s new Integrity Commissioner firm for a four-year non-renewable period effective July 1, 2017.

“Principles Integrity is a newly formed partnership focused on the provision of Integrity Commissioner services through its two principals, Jeffrey A. Abrams and Janice Atwood-Petkovski,” said Governance Committee Chair and Ward 9 Councillor Pat Saito.  “Both of its principals have devoted their entire careers to public service and collectively have experience serving at the local, single-tier, regional and provincial government levels.”

The City’s Governance Committee oversaw the Request for Proposal (RFP) process to select a replacement for Mr. Robert Swayze whose 5-year term ends June 30, 2017. The Selection Committee, comprised of Sandy Milakovic, citizen member of Governance Committee, Mayor Bonnie Crombie, Councillors Pat Saito, Karen Ras, Sue McFadden and Matt Mahoney, City Solicitor Mary Ellen Bench and Director of Legislative Services/City Clerk, Crystal Greer, reviewed applications and submitted its recommendation to Council for final approval.

Principles Integrity will act as an advisor to all members of Council as well as the City’s adjudicative and local boards, on matters relating to ethics and the respective Code of Conduct, the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act, an educational resource to members of Council and its boards in this respect and to independently receive and investigate complaints respecting a possible breach of the Council Code of Conduct by a Member of Council or of the Code that applies to the City’s adjudicative tribunals or local boards.

“Most recently Mr. Abrams was Clerk of the City of Vaughan, and Ms. Atwood-Petkovski was City Solicitor for the City of Hamilton,” noted City Solicitor Mary Ellen Bench. “Both have abundant training and experience in law, municipal government, governance, ethical behaviours, investigations, coaching and legislative drafting. They worked together at the City of Vaughan where they played key roles in developing that municipality’s code of conduct and integrity commissioner procedures and protocols.”

“Let me thank Robert Swayze for his service, support and professionalism to the City of Mississauga. The role of the integrity commissioner is fundamental to ensuring that elected officials and staff have access to responsive, independent counsel that helps ensure our actions fully comply with corporate policies and provincial and federal statutes,” said Mayor Bonnie Crombie. “Council and staff look forward to working closely with the next integrity commissioner.”

Mr. Abrams and Ms. Atwood-Petkovski are members of MICO, an association of municipal integrity commissioners in Ontario, and the Law Society of Upper Canada.  Mr. Abrams was called to the bar in 1985, and Ms. Atwood-Petkovski in 1987.