Mike Watson, the Ontario Securities Commission’s enforcement chief, is leaving his post to become a special advisor to the RCMP’s Integrated Market Enforcement Program (IMET).

The OSC and RCMP today announced the appointment of Watson as special advisor capital markets enforcement to IMET. The move is designed to improve relations between IMET and Canadian securities commissions; a step that was recommended in a report the report by Nick Le Pan delivered last October that focused on improving the IMET’s performance.

“This appointment will further enhance the RCMP’s Integrated Market Enforcement Program,” said RCMP deputy commissioner Raf Souccar in a release. “We are pleased to have someone like Michael with extensive experience and expertise joining the IMET management team.”

“The RCMP and OSC have an important and ongoing collaborative relationship”, said OSC chair David Wilson. “Mike’s appointment to the position of special advisor furthers that collaboration. His skills and experience in capital market enforcement and criminal prosecution will enhance the IMET and provide it with valuable insight and perspective.”

Watson has been director of enforcement at the OSC since 1999. Prior to that, he was director of enforcement and executive director of the British Columbia Securities Commission. Before that, he practised criminal law for almost 20 years, including 10 years as counsel to the Alberta attorney general and seven years as director of prosecutions in Manitoba.

OSC executive director Peggy Dowdall-Logie will oversee the commission’s enforcement branch until a new director is found.