Discipline Committee of the Ontario College of Teachers
DECISION AND REASONS FOR ADJOURNMENT MOTION
IN THE MATTER OF the Ontario College of Teachers Act, 1996 and the Regulation (Ontario Regulation 437/97) thereunder;
AND IN THE MATTER OF a discipline proceeding against
Kenneth Grant Baldwin, OCT, a member of the Ontario College of Teachers.
BETWEEN:
ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
– and –
KENNETH GRANT BALDWIN (REGISTRATION #251388)
PANEL: Stéphane Vallée, OCT, Chair Jessica Saffran Reimers, OCT Pauline Smart
HEARD: April 11, 2022
Aly Háji and Jordan Glick, for the Ontario College of Teachers Catherine Patterson, for Kenneth Grant Baldwin Rebecca Durcan, Independent Legal Counsel
PUBLICATION BAN: Pursuant to subsection 32.1(3) of the Ontario College of Teachers Act, 1996, no person shall publish the identity of, or any information that could disclose the identity of any person who is under 18 years old and is a witness in a hearing or is the subject of evidence in a hearing.
1On April 11, 2022, the parties appeared electronically before a panel of the Discipline Committee (the “Panel”) of the Ontario College of Teachers (the “College”), in accordance with rule 8.01 of the Rules of Procedure of the Discipline Committee and of the Fitness to Practise Committee (the “Rules”), to hear the allegations against Kenneth Grant Baldwin (the “Member”) in a Notice of Hearing dated October 2, 2020.
2The Member was present and had legal representation. The Panel was advised at the outset that the parties had entered into an agreement and that the Member would plead no contest. When attempting to take the plea, the Member made statements to the Panel which raised concerns about the validity of the plea and agreement between the parties. The Member was given an opportunity to speak with his counsel but maintained his position. As a result, and on its own motion, the Panel decided not to accept the Statement of Uncontested Facts and Plea of No Contest and to return the matter so that it could be heard as a contested hearing by a newly constituted panel.
3The Panel wants to reassure the Member, and the public, that the hearing will be adjudicated by persons free of any real or perceived bias.
Date: May 13, 2022
Stéphane Vallée, OCT Chair, Discipline Panel
Jessica Saffran Reimers, OCT Member, Discipline Panel
Pauline Smart Member, Discipline Panel