CANADA | Bridging the gap and forging connections

This January marks Kevin Brezinski’s one-year anniversary in office since he began as Alberta Ombudsman and Public Interest Commissioner. In an interview, the Ombudsman speaks about his time in these two important roles and his plans for the future.

1. Reflecting on the past year, has your perspective of these roles evolved since your first day on the job?

“Serving the public and conducting investigations was integral throughout my career in policing. Early on, I understood a collaborative approach would be essential to these roles and I continue to lead with that perspective. However, this year I witnessed firsthand how decisions made in the public sector can affect the lives of Albertans who have reached out to us either for whistleblower protection or because of unfair treatment by authorities. I’m pleased to say I’ve seen meaningful change in my first year thanks to these complaints coming forward. In my first year, I have been impressed with the professionalism of our staff and their ability to complete complex investigations in a timely fashion. I am proud of the work done the past year and excited about the year ahead.”

2. Are there notable cases or examples that stand out from your time in role?

“Sure. On the public interest side, we released a report into allegations of medical mistreatment by affected individuals at a provincial correctional centre. As a result of the disclosure by a whistleblower, and the subsequent investigation, we determined standards of medical care were not met for a number of patients at the Edmonton Remand Centre. We provided recommendations to Alberta Health Services for improvement of the systemic issues, and I was very encouraged to see the organization’s commitment to implementing the necessary changes.

Speaking to my role as the Ombudsman, a case recently came across my desk about a complaint from the mother of a young person with a developmental disability. Previously, the young person had received government-funded support but had to transition out of the children’s funding program when he turned 18. When his family applied on his behalf to the Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) program, Disability Services (the department) found him ineligible on the basis that his Intelligence Quotient (IQ) score was too high. His mother appealed the denial to the Citizen’s Appeal Panel and the Panel determined the IQ score was not a valid indication of his intellectual capacity. However, no further action was taken to vary the decision. The Panel is mandated to confirm, reverse or vary the department’s decision yet the young person remained ineligible bringing considerable worry and financial hardship to his family. Recognizing the seriousness of the matter, my office opened an investigation and is currently working with the department to highlight where specific instances of unfairness occurred.”

To read the full interview, kindly click here.

Source: The Alberta Ombudsman, Canada