Mr. Howard Morton

This interview with Howard Morton provides a comprehensive overview of his career at the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General from 1969 to 1995. Morton began as an articling student at the Crown Law Office alongside Eddie Greenspan, later serving as Crown Attorney in Lindsay (1970-1973) before returning to Toronto to work on special prosecutions. He became Director of Criminal Law in 1976 and was deeply involved in major organized crime investigations, including negotiating arrangements with informant Cecil Kirby that led to approximately 300 convictions.

Morton’s career spanned significant changes in the Ministry, from what he describes as a collegial “law office with support staff” under Attorney General Roy McMurtry to an increasingly bureaucratic institution. He played a crucial role in criminal law policy development, particularly during the Charter of Rights implementation and federal-provincial criminal law reform initiatives. His work included chairing committees that rewrote portions of the Criminal Code and serving as a consulting member for the Law Reform Commission of Canada.

The interview concludes with Morton’s controversial tenure as Director of the Special Investigations Unit (1992-1995), where his efforts to establish independent police oversight created significant friction with law enforcement. Following his departure from government service, Morton established a successful criminal defense practice, representing clients in complex fraud cases and maintaining a commitment to legal aid work.

This description was written by AI and may contain some inaccuracies.