Alan Heisey Explained

Alan Milliken Heisey
Birth Name:Alan Milliken Heisey II
Birth Place:Don Mills, Ontario
Occupation:Lawyer
Known For:Chair of Toronto Police Services Board (2004) and Vice-Chair of the Toronto Transit Commission (2015-)

Alan Milliken Heisey II, (born) is a Canadian lawyer who served as vice-chair of the Toronto Transit Commission board for period 2015–2020.[1] He was chair of the Toronto Police Services Board in 2004 when it voted not to renew the contract of Toronto Police Chief Julian Fantino.

Early life and career

Heisey was born in 1954 in Don Mills, Ontario, a suburb of Toronto. His father, Alan Milliken Heisey Sr., was a North York alderman from 1976 to 1980[2] and grandson of Karl Brooks Heisey.

He graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1978 and joined the firm of Blake, Cassels & Graydon in 1981. Since 1985, he has been a partner in the law firm of Papazian Heisey Myers.[3]

He was appointed a federal Queen's Counsel in 1993.[4] [5]

Public service

Heisey was a member and then chair of the Toronto Parking Authority from 1992 to 2001. He oversaw the introduction of the world's first wireless, solar-powered pay-and-display consoles that accept credit cards on Toronto streets.[6] Toronto was the first North American city to replace its parking meters with pay and display machines. After removal of the meters, the remaining posts had bicycle parking rings installed on them, significantly increasing the supply of bicycle parking.[7]

He was retained by the City of Toronto government to represent the environmental group 'Save the Rouge' in the Oak Ridges Moraine Ontario Municipal Board hearing in 2000–2001.[8] The hearing was stopped by the passage of the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Act in 2001, which preserved the Moraine from development.

Police board

Heisey was appointed to the Toronto Police Services Board by City Council for the period March 2001-October 2004 and concerned himself with issues such as racial profiling and the police complaints system.[9]

He was appointed as acting chair of the board on December 11, 2003, after Norman Gardner stepped aside as chair in June, 2003 following allegations that Gardner had accepted a gun as a gift from a firearms manufacturer and 5,700 rounds of police ammunition from Toronto police officers.[10] [11] Heisey was made chair in January 2004.[12] He declined to use the city's chauffeur-driven limousine, preferring public transit and his bicycle.[13] [14]

A week after becoming chair, Heisey was the target of a smear campaign that began with the leak of an internal police memo. Heisey refused to resign from the board, and Justice Sydney Robins of the Ontario Court of Appeal agreed that the memo was leaked to smear his name.[15] [16]

Gardner's suspension reduced the board to six members, paralysing the board as votes on important issues often ended in ties.[17] Heisey publicly suggested that the province might have to take over the board when two board members left a meeting to deprive it of quorum.[18] [19] [20] [21] Heisey had said he would resign if the "dysfunctional" board did not regain its composure. In June 2004, he announced that he would not be seeking a renewal of his board appointment[22] and told the media "The police board job is kind of like being a general. There's a peacetime general and there's a wartime general. And I think the peacetime chair job would have been quite manageable with my other responsibilities." The board later in June voted not to renew Chief Fantino's contract, with media reporting Heisey had voted against renewal.[23] [24] [25]

The board unanimously endorsed Heisey's recommendations to reform the Ontario Police Complaints system in September 2004.[26] Heisey's proposal for a single tribunal to determine all disputes, civil actions and complaints concerning police, other than criminal charges,[27] [28] was not accepted in the 2005 Patrick LeSage Report on the Police Complaints System.[29]

TTC

In October 2012, Toronto City Council appointed Heisey to the Toronto Transit Commission Board.  He served 8 years on the Board his appointment ending November 2020.[30] [31]

He was elected Vice Chair of the TTC Board in May 2015 – 2020.[32] [33] [34] [35] [36]

He was Acting Chair of the TTC Board for the period October 2019 - May 2020.[37] [38]

Toronto Cycle Track Network

Heisey is an avid cyclist and an advocate for safer bike lanes.[39] He was instrumental in the creation of the first network of physically separated bicycle lanes in the Toronto between 2010 and 2015 on Sherbourne Street, Wellesley Street, Hoskin Avenue, Richmond Street and Adelaide Street.[40] [41]

In recognition of his contributions to the creation of the network, Toronto City Council ceremonially named the Sherbourne Street cycle track after him on February 10, 2015.[42] On September 18, 2019, the City of Toronto officially named the cycle track in his honour.[43]

Notes and References

  1. News: TTC welcomes new citizen members to Board, elects new Vice-Chair. May 27, 2015. Toronto Transit Commission. https://web.archive.org/web/20170112195446/https://www.ttc.ca/News/2015/May/0527_new_board.jsp . 2017-01-12 . live .
  2. "Police story: with allegations of shakedowns, payoffs and cover-ups, 2004 was not a great year for the cops. Alan Heisey, as chair of the Toronto Police Services Board, aimed to clean up the mess. But one week into his tenure, he found himself the target of a brutal smear campaign. Things went downhill from there." by John Lownsbrough, Toronto Life, March 2005
  3. Web site: Alan M. Heisey Q.C. Papazian Heisey Myers. July 18, 2017. phmlaw.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20170719005442/http://www.phmlaw.com/Our-Lawyers/Alan-M-Heisey.shtml. July 19, 2017. dead.
  4. Web site: Alan Heisey - The Law Society of Upper Canada. February 28, 2011. . https://web.archive.org/web/20200714224348/http://www.lsuc.on.ca/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=2147484675 . 2020-07-14 . live .
  5. "Campbell names QC appointments", The Montreal Gazette, 31 Dec 1992: B6
  6. "1999 and 2000 Annual Reports of the Toronto Parking Authority"
  7. "The Alan Wrench: Why is Alan Heisey smiling? Because after a tough half year, he's leaving the police board" by Peter Kuitenbrouwer, National Post, July 10, 2004
  8. "Developers' theory 'not tested'; But moraine's water supply protected, OMB hearing told" by Gail Swainson, Toronto Star, October 31, 2000; 'Vast subdivision tract' feared; 'Nature's laws' should be heeded, moraine hearing told" by Gail Swainson, Toronto Star, May 31, 2000;"Battle to save moraine not over yet" by David Lewis Stein, Toronto Star, October 4, 2002; "It will be a sad day when the OMB is abolished" by David Lewis Stein, Toronto Star, January 18, 2001
  9. Web site: Past Members of the Board. Toronto Police Services Board. January 31, 2016.
  10. News: Gardner must get new hearing, court says. Katherine. Harding. Gay. Abbate. July 10, 2004. . https://web.archive.org/web/20200714224348/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/gardner-must-get-new-hearing-court-says/article17969451/ . 2020-07-14 . live .
  11. Web site: Minutes of the Public Meeting of the Toronto Police Services Board. December 11, 2003. Toronto Police Services Board.
  12. News: Alan Heisey? It's just plain scary. John. Barber. The Globe and Mail. January 17, 2004 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200714224348/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/alan-heisey-its-just-plain-scary/article741216/ . 2020-07-14 . live .
  13. "Darts and Laurels", Toronto Star, Jan. 8, 2004, A.24
  14. "Veteran lawyer takes over at police services board; Heisey wants complaints review Agenda includes racial profiling" by Jack Lakey, Toronto Star, January 7, 2004
  15. "Judge Report clears Police Board boss", Toronto Sun, March 26, 2004, Rob Granatstein
  16. "ABOVE BOARD? A history of Toronto police board reformers being hounded, smeared and spied upon", JONATHAN GOLDSBIE, Now Magazine, DECEMBER 19, 2014
  17. Mike Smith, "In a Familiar Rut", Now Magazine, August 5, 2004.
  18. "The police board mess", Globe and Mail, Jun. 08 2004, editorial
  19. "Dysfunctional police board leaves all stranded", Dunphy, Bill; The Spectator; (Jul 30, 2004), p. A.12
  20. "City Police Board in Disarray" Globe and Mail, 28 May 2004, Katherine Harding.
  21. The Oversight of Executive Police Relations in Canada: The Constitution, the Courts, Administrative Processes and Democratic Governance, Lorne Sossin, Ipperwash Inquiry Report, 2004, pp.18-9. Ipperwash Inquiry
  22. News: Decency destroyed at the Toronto police board. John. Barber. The Globe and Mail. June 12, 2004 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200714224348/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/decency-destroyed-at-the-toronto-police-board/article744206/ . 2020-07-14 . live .
  23. "Toronto will cut ties with police chief", Calgary Herald, 25 June 2004
  24. "Secret-vote Fantino ouster has the feel of a messy coup" by Rosie DiManno, Toronto Star, June 24, 2004
  25. News: Globe and Mail. June 26, 2004. Barber Praises Fantino: Really. John Barber. November 9, 2015.
  26. "Changes to the Complaints System - Final Recommendations and Addendum" by Alan Milliken Heisey Q.C., July 20, 2004.
  27. "Heisey Offers Good Sense on Police Complaints" by Rosie diManno, "Toronto Star", July 28, 2004
  28. "Police Board makes peace:meeting unusually friendly;Members cordial at final meeting Several proposals pass unanimously" by Catherine Porter, Toronto Star, September 24, 2004, F.01
  29. Web site: Report on the Police Complaints System in Ontario - Ministry of the Attorney General.
  30. News: Kalinowski. Tess. October 31, 2012. TTC board to include lawyer, entertainment czar. Toronto Star.
  31. “HEISEY STEPPING DOWN FROM TTC BOARD A LEGACY OF PUBLIC SERVICE”  by Marc Mitanis, Nova Res Urbis, October 23, 2020
  32. News: May 27, 2015. TTC welcomes new citizen members to Board, elects new Vice-Chair. TCC. February 1, 2016. November 12, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161112084801/http://www.ttc.ca/News/2015/May/0527_new_board.jsp. dead.
  33. News: Tess Kalinowski. November 23, 2015. TTC to hike cash fares by a quarter — tokens, a dime. Toronto Star. February 1, 2016.
  34. News: Chris Herhalt. August 5, 2015. Inaugural TTC HR committee meeting to discuss executive bonuses, benefits. CP24.com. CP24. February 1, 2016.
  35. News: Tess Kalinowski. September 21, 2015. Richmond St. cycle track opens. Toronto Star. February 1, 2016.
  36. News: Oliver Moore. October 28, 2015. TTC to sue Bombardier over late streetcars. Globe and Mail. February 1, 2016.
  37. Web site: Archived copy . 2020-06-04 . 2020-06-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200604174153/https://www.ttc.ca/About_the_TTC/Commission_reports_and_information/Commission_meetings/2020/May_13/Reports/2_Election_of_Vice_Chair_of_the_TTC_Board.pdf . dead .
  38. Web site: Toronto coun. Jaye Robinson taking time away from city hall to focus on health - Toronto | Globalnews.ca.
  39. Web site: Toronto police, Mayor Tory announce another rush hour parking crackdown. September 23, 2015. Rahul. Gupta. insidetoronto.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20200714224348/https://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/5927083-toronto-police-mayor-tory-announce-another-rush-hour-parking-crackdown/ . 2020-07-14 . live .
  40. Web site: The origins and politics of Minnan-Wong's bike lane plan. ibiketo.ca. February 3, 2016.
  41. News: Connect bike lanes through downtown, cyclist says. Toronto Star. August 17, 2010. February 3, 2016. 0319-0781. Tess. Kalinowski . https://web.archive.org/web/20170112195446/http://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2010/08/17/connect_bike_lanes_through_downtown_cyclist_says.html . 2017-01-12 . live .
  42. Web site: Ceremonial Naming of Sherbourne Street bike lanes after Alan Milliken Heisey. February 10, 2015. . https://web.archive.org/web/20200714224348/http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2015/mm/bgrd/backgroundfile-77693.pdf . 2020-07-14 . live .
  43. Web site: Toronto's Sherbourne cycle track to be named in honour of Alan Heisey. September 17, 2019. toronto.ca. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20190918153806/https://wx.toronto.ca/inter/it/newsrel.nsf/7017df2f20edbe2885256619004e428e/EFD0E06539637BD18525847800668231?OpenDocument. September 18, 2019. September 18, 2019.

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