There’s something dispiriting about the arrival of Ontario Ombudsman Andre Marin on the scene to investigate a matter that is already being investigated. The death of SammyYatim at the hands of Toronto Police ten days ago has become it seems yet another occasion for Mr. Marin to write a florid report. He is already indignant. Having reviewed past recommendations of coroners juries the Ombudsman declares it’s like watching Groundhog Day. Waxing wise on the solution to such heart-breaking deaths, Mr. Marin asks why, as juries apparently recommended, the government has not “increased how police defuse such situations.” That’s getting to the bottom of things all right. Unfortunately, these imperfect human creatures who serve as our police are thrown into situations on no notice and most of the time they are scared as hell. Which is not to say there isn’t a brilliant human or digital mechanism which will always defuse such crises. It’s unlikely to be found in those aging coroner jury verdicts however. Mr. Marin’s current adventure seems to take him even further away from the true concept of an Ombudsman. The office was supposed to help those who have nowhere else to turn, who are ignored by the government. No one is ignoring the Yatim case. Of course this young man did not deserve to die. But he put in motion events which deeply frightened dozens of people including the cop. Why is this a reason for Mr. Marin to reprise his role in Groundhog Day?
