The highly publicized firing of TTC Chief General Manager Gary Webster following a special Commission meeting on February 21st has sparked an ongoing media controversy, the root of which questions the justification for Webster’s dismissal. Action against Webster was initiated by his refusal to support Mayor Rob Ford’s proposal of a Sheppard subway expansion in favour of a plan to build three new Light Rail Transit lines; by a 5-4 vote, TTC commissioners decided to relieve Webster of his duties. This verdict has opened debate regarding the rationalization of dismissing Webster for expressing a professional opinion.
Support of the choice is derived from the opinion that, though Webster’s work as a civil servant throughout his career was appreciated, a change in leadership was necessary to keep the TTC progressive. This view has been adopted by Mayor Ford, as well as the five commissioners whose votes finalized the decision to fire Webster.
However, it has also been argued that there was no cause to fire Webster. Ultimately, Webster’s job was to advise the City Council by presenting his professional opinion, which he did. The motivation to fire him arose when his professional opinion did not align with that of Mayor Ford. This controversy is heightened by a City Council vote in which a 25-18 majority approved Webster’s proposal in favour of Ford’s.
Two aspects of Webster’s dismissal are disturbing. Legislatively, the mayor cannot overrule the City Council, nor does he possess unilateral control of its decisions. It is reckless to attempt to attain such control by eliminating opinions which oppose his personal agenda. Furthermore, Webster had an obligation as a civil servant and a professional engineer to ensure that his advice to the City Council was indicative of his training and expertise. For Webster to misrepresent or wholly falsify his opinion in this matter would violate the PEO guidelines for professional practice.
Webster’s dismissal has inspired grievance amongst other civil servants, who now fear that their professional judgment is a liability, and not an asset. Criticism has also been drawn from politicians outside of Toronto, who claim that Toronto will have difficulty attracting applicants to replace Webster. The crucial factor to be considered is the ultimate ramification of this decision. By dismissing Webster, the TTC commissioners have sent a message that their leader should be primarily responsible to the mayor, and not to the public. The consequences of this stance could create a conflict of interest, in which job security is prioritized above public welfare in the decisions of the next Chief General Manager.
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