Newsmaker: Bartolucci takes on province’s largest ministry

BY WENDY BIRD

Ever since winning his fourth term as Sudbury MPP this past fall, Rick Bartolucci has been on a serious learning curve.

The veteran politician was moved from his former job as Minister of Northern Development and Mines to become the province’s minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services.

“I’m coming in a little earlier and I’m leaving a little later. That’s all part of the learning curve and that’s all part of the complexity of this particular ministry,” Bartolucci said.

“Without a doubt, this is a very, very important ministry in the province of Ontario. It’s a very demanding and exciting portfolio. It’s the Ontario government’s largest single ministry that delivers direct services with almost 17,000 employees.”

In his new role Bartolucci’s key responsibilities include: monitoring all police services throughout Ontario (the ministry has direct responsibility for the Ontario Provincial Police); licensing, regulating and investigating the activities of private investigation and security agencies and individuals in Ontario; dealing with the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police and the various umbrella organizations that represent police services across Ontario; coordinating public safety initiatives, including forensic science and coroners’ services; overseeing fire fighting and fire safety, as well as emergency preparedness and response.

On the correctional side of his new portfolio, Bartolucci said he now takes responsibility for provincial institutions such as jails, including the supervision and the rehabilitation of adult offenders in correctional institutions and in the community. Probation and parole officers also fall under this mandate.

“This ministry is also responsible for animal welfare, which is a very interesting and challenging file as well,” he added.

Bartolucci said he is glad to know that every initiative his ministry works on is to the benefit of every community, including Sudbury.

He also noted that, in 2008, Greater Sudbury Police Chief Ian Davidson will be the chair of Association of Ontario Chiefs of Police - an organization that works in tandem with the ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services. Never before have two Sudburians led these two organizations at the same time.

“Hopefully there will be something concrete, positive and lasting because of the unique circumstances we both find ourselves in with regard to community safety,” Bartolucci said.

He notes that, although his time will be pressed by his role with the ministry, his primary responsibility will always be the constituents of the Sudbury riding.

 As the MPP for Sudbury, Bartolucci said he is continuing his work on the four-laning of Hwy 69, as well as rallying support to build a new courthouse. He said he is continuing to push for a school of architecture, and is still looking for more federal and city funding for the Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation.

He also said he is working on making Sudbury’s downtown more attractive and pleasing to the general public.

And Bartolucci noted that he wants to see the establishment of a research chair for industrial health and safety.

The appeal of the research chair is that it will focus on all industrial sectors, including mining, forestry, construction and more.

“We have the incredible expertise in this community by the nature of our existence. And (this experience) has been borne out of tragedy as well,” Bartolucci said.

“We’ve got such a foundation upon which to build and grow our expertise, and then to share it with the world. I want to make this an international opportunity for Sudbury.”