Critics stunned to learn Manitoba’s new teacher oversight commissioner also leads Saskatchewan educators’ union By: Jeff Hamilton Posted: 6:55 PM CST Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/02/2025 (233 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A new commissioner tasked with disciplining Manitoba educators for misconduct since the start of the year was doing so while still maintaining her job as head of the Saskatchewan teachers’ union, the Free Press has learned.

Critics call it a major conflict of interest that brings into question the independence and impartiality of Manitoba’s new teacher oversight commission.

“The fact that she’s doing two jobs at once, and one is the head of a teacher union, when you’re supposed to be adjudicating cases involving teacher misconduct, that’s a massive conflict of interest,” said Cameron Hauseman, an assistant professor of educational administration at the University of Manitoba.

“Both the commissioner and the province need to explain what exactly happened here.”

Caught off guard when asked about the conflict, a provincial spokesperson initially indicated Thursday morning the NDP government was unaware Bobbi Taillefer was still working as the executive director of the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation.

Manitoba Education Minister Tracy Schmidt told the Free Press late Thursday she was informed Taillefer’s last day with the federation will be Friday. That development was contrary to the December newsletter from Samantha Becotte, the president of the Saskatchewan union, who stated Taillefer was expected to be with the federation until March.

Schmidt, who has a background in labour and employment law, defended Taillefer performing both roles and said she didn’t see it as a conflict of interest, adding the new commissioner isn’t representing teachers in Manitoba and hasn’t yet had to weigh in or investigate complaints.

The registry has received five complaints so far, Schmidt said.

“So, at this point, we have no concerns,” she said. “I have full confidence in Mrs. Taillefer in performing this role.”

Taillefer assumed the role of Commissioner of Teacher Professional Conduct on Jan. 6, the same day the Manitoba government rolled out its new certified teacher registry, which indicates whether an educator’s licence is in good standing, suspended or cancelled.

Prior to that, Taillefer provided consultant support, assisted and advised the Education Department on policies and procedures and met with various stakeholders after being named commissioner last fall, Schmidt said.

On Feb. 4, Taillefer posted a note of congratulations on her X social media account, which features an ‘I AM STF’ logo, to the Saskatchewan union for being recognized as a top employer in that province.

When the Free Press contacted STF Thursday to determine her status with the union, two employees confirmed Taillefer remains employed as executive director and has an office in Saskatoon. Taillefer has been in that role since 2021 and represents more than 13,500 educators in Saskatchewan.

Calls to Taillefer’s Saskatchewan office were not returned.

“That’s a massive conflict of interest.”–Cameron Hauseman

As Manitoba’s inaugural commissioner, Taillefer is responsible for overseeing complaints about teacher misconduct and unprofessionalism and uses her discretion to probe or dismiss cases.

“The fact that she’s still working for a teacher union while trying to be the independent commissioner at the same time, those red flags are only raised higher,” Hauseman said. “I just don’t know how you could do that with integrity.”

Progressive Conservative education critic Grant Jackson said the NDP government needs to explain how it is possible for Taillefer — who is supposed to provide transparency, accountability and oversight of Manitoba’s teaching profession — to do so while still advocating for teachers in a neighbouring province.

“What is she focused on right now? Running the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation or protecting Manitoba students?” Jackson asked.

“Because I would argue that she should be focused — and solely focused — on protecting Manitoba students by successfully delivering and operating the Manitoba teacher registry.

“That’s the purpose of it, and running it off the side of her desk as she winds down with the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation is a problem, and I think most Manitoba parents would find a problem with that, as well.”

Hauseman said public confidence has been eroded with Taillefer currently serving in competing roles when, ironically, she was brought in to restore confidence in teacher oversight. Critics have long argued Manitoba parents have long been kept in the dark when it comes to disciplinary decisions involving teachers.

The commissioner’s position, along with the registry, were touted as steps that would improve student safety.

“Having the executive director of the Saskatchewan Teacher Federation also serving as the commissioner of our Manitoba teacher registry at the same time — double dipping, if you will — it only magnifies those concerns about accountability and transparency and objectivity,” Hauseman said.

Anne-Marie Robinson, a co-founder of the advocacy group Stop Educator Child Exploitation, was stunned to learn of the situation.

“I have full confidence in Mrs. Taillefer in performing this role.”–Education Minister Tracy Schmidt

“In our research, it’s pretty unequivocal in its common sense that whoever is going to play the role of commissioner has to be truly independent,” Robinson said. “They have to be independent of teacher’s unions and they have to be independent of school boards and they have to be independent of the government of the day.

“It’s puzzling why someone could be both in the role as head of a teacher’s union and also in a role where they’re supposed to act as an independent. That’s something that definitely needs to be clarified.”

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Max Jenson was one of nine victims who stepped forward to make accusations against Kelsey McKay, a disgraced former teacher and football coach at Vincent Massey Collegiate and Churchill High School. McKay pleaded guilty in July 2023 to nine counts of sexual assault and two counts of luring his teenage victims, all of whom he coached.

Jenson has spent recent months meeting with child-protection groups and politicians in an attempt to improve a public school system that failed him. He said he had reservations about Taillefer’s hiring, given her close ties to teachers, but had hoped the launch of the registry and hiring of an independent commissioner would improve child safety in schools.

He’s no longer sure, based on the first few weeks of the rollout.

“It’s the fact that it’s so blatantly obvious that her intentions have nothing to do with this registry and what it means and stands by,” Jenson said. “It’s obvious where her loyalties sit. It’s clearly with the teachers and the teachers’ society and not protecting the children and giving the public confidence in our school system.”

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

Jeff Hamilton
Multimedia producer

Jeff Hamilton is a sports and investigative reporter. Jeff joined the Free Press newsroom in April 2015, and has been covering the local sports scene since graduating from Carleton University’s journalism program in 2012. Read more about Jeff.

Every piece of reporting Jeff produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.