The Canadian Council of Parliamentary Ombudsman welcomes Prince Edward Island’s First Ombudsperson

PEI becomes the latest province to appoint an independent officer responsible for ensuring fairness and providing a safe avenue for whistleblower complaints in the public service. Next week, Sandy Hermiston will become the province’s first Ombudsperson and Public Interest Disclosure Commissioner. The Canadian Council of Parliamentary Ombudsman (CCPO) warmly welcomes the news. “On behalf of…

Transforming Mental Health Services – a follow-up on the Ombudsman’s 2019 Own Motion report on Mental Health Review Panels

When improving complex government systems, policy makers often find that arriving at a destination simply means the ultimate goal still lies somewhere up the road. This lesson certainly applies as the Ombudsman accepts the final progress report Alberta Health posted to its website in November 2021 in response to the 2019 Ombudsman Own Motion report,…

Celebrating fairness pioneers on Ombuds Day…

The Alberta Ombudsman recognizes three former staffers who went on to establish complaint-handling offices with solid roots in procedural fairness. “These three women contributed significantly during their years at the Ombudsman’s office and have gone on to do great work pursuing fairness within or alongside the Ombudsman community,” reflects Marianne Ryan, Alberta’s ninth Ombudsman and…

The Alberta Ombudsman and Public Interest Commissioner Supports National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

The Alberta Ombudsman and Public Interest Commissioner’s offices will be taking time this September 30, 2021, to reflect on the tragic history of residential schools and all those affected.   Marianne Ryan, the Alberta Ombudsman and Public Interest Commissioner will be closing her offices on September 30th in recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Her staff will be encouraged to commemorate the day and reflect on how the offices may continually…

The Future of Ombudship in Canada

This article by Alberta Ombudsman staffer        Daniel Johns (pictured right) and former Correctional Investigator of Canada Howard Sapers (pictured left) was first published by Policy Magazine, based out of Ottawa. Mr. Johns started as an investigator more than 30 years ago while Mr. Sapers is a former Alberta Member of the Legislative…

Early resolution accelerates fair results

Everyone benefits when the Ombudsman helps parties on both sides find quick, simple solutions. If the Ombudsman’s office can facilitate a fair solution to address a complaint, we can reduce frustration for all. Early resolution is a preliminary investigative step where the Ombudsman investigator takes action to resolve the issue informally and as efficiently as…

Alberta Ombudsman annual report describes fairness work through 2019-20

Albertans submitted over 5,100 complaints about unfair treatment, states the Alberta Ombudsman’s 53rd annual report. “The fundamental purpose of the Ombudsman is to be of service to the people. In providing oversight, too often we see avoidable instances of unfairness stemming from a disagreement with a decision, poor service delivery or inadequate communication,” Marianne Ryan…