Promoting Fair Practices for 50 Years

When the Alberta Ombudsman began operations 50 years ago this week, the province and its government operated much differently than it does today. Out of necessity, the Alberta Ombudsman’s approach to complaint handling has required adjustment.  When first conceived, the Ombudsman was primarily seen as an agent who would help citizens negotiate their way through…

Evolving Jurisdiction Over Time

1967 The Ombudsman’s jurisdictional reach granted by proclamation of the Ombudsman Act included Alberta government departments, boards and agencies. There was an immediate question of jurisdiction over the Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) as legal opinions held that the WCB was not a provincial agency within the meaning of the Ombudsman Act. 1968 An amendment was passed on April…