Your voice
of fairness.

What does the Ombudsman do?

The Alberta Ombudsman responds to complaints of unfair treatment by provincial government authorities and designated professional organizations.

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Who is the Ombudsman?

Peter Hourihan was sworn in as Alberta’s eighth Ombudsman in October 2011. Peter spent 35 years in the RCMP working in a variety of policing roles including oversight of all police operations in the province of British Columbia. Peter has significant experience in mediation, development and implementation of programs as well as working as an advisor in the areas of discipline and grievances.

READ MORE ABOUT THE OMBUDSMAN

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    Independent from government
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    Provides services free of charge
  3. Bullet 3
    Promotes standards of fairness
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    Is approachable and responsive
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    Recommends solutions that are fair for both the complainant and government
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    Is respected, influential and effective

Latest News

VIEW ARCHIVE

  • Posted in Uncategorized.

    Ombudsman, on the air

    Peter Hourihan dropped by Edmonton’s 630 CHED studios recently to chat about his dual roles as Alberta’s Ombudsman and the province’s first Public Interest Commissioner.

    The stop was part of Peter’s efforts to raise awareness of the services offered by …

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    Posted in Uncategorized.

    Meeting Albertans face to face

    Visiting communities across Alberta is one of the best ways to connect with people.

    That’s why Alberta’s Ombudsman, Peter Hourihan, and a team of investigators have been visiting towns and cities across the province since last spring.

    The goal is …

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    Posted in Uncategorized.

    Ombudsman releases annual report

    The Alberta Ombudsman’s 2012/2013 annual report is available for download, here. It provides a detailed look at the work we’ve done over the past year, as well as the path we’re charting for years to come, and our plan …

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    Posted in Uncategorized.

    Promoting fairness in the south

    Alberta’s Ombudsman, Peter Hourihan, visited Medicine Hat on Tuesday, May 29, and Lethbridge on Wednesday, May 30.

    Residents attended a presentation by Mr. Hourihan, and had the opportunity to meet with Ombudsman investigators for information about how the office works, …

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  • Posted in Uncategorized.

    International Ombudsman Institute (IOI)

    The Ombudsman attented the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI) meeting in Vienna, Austria in April 2013.

    A number of Board business items were addressed. Most significantly, the IOI approved 7,500 euros to the City of Toronto Ombudsman, which is developing a …

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    Posted in Uncategorized.

    Ombudsman hosts the CCPO in Edmonton

    Alberta’s Ombudsman hosted all Canadian Council of Parliamentary Ombudsman (CCPO) members across Canada in May. In addition to holding the annual meeting, a tour was taken of the new Remand Centre in Edmonton. This was an excellent opportunity to view …

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Quick Stats

 

The past year in review

From April 1, 2012 through March 31, 2013, written complaints are up 2.5 per cent, but oral complaints have dropped 9.4 per cent over the past fiscal year. This follows a recent trend that began in 2010/11. This could be due to several reasons, such as complainant use of our online complaint forms, or they find it useful to share the details of their complaint in written form.

Since 2011/12, new investigations are up 12.6 per cent; new Alternative Complaint Resolution files are up 10.8 per cent; and closed files (as of March 31, 2013) are up 12.3 per cent.

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