BackOntario Ombudsman Paul Dubé has released the first annual report of his office’s new, expanded mandate, which was doubled in the past year to include more than 1,000 public sector organizations – provincial government bodies, municipalities, universities and school boards.
Establishing relationships with new stakeholders in 444 municipalities, 21 universities and 82 school boards and school authorities drove the office’s work this year, the Ombudsman states in the report. “This experience has underlined, for all of us, the importance of ensuring that who we are and what we do is clear to all Ontarians.”
To that end, Mr. Dubé’s report outlines the role, mission and processes of the Ombudsman, and categorizes significant cases and trends by topic, with the highest volume of complaints (34%) relating to “law and order” (policing and prisons), followed by social services (17%), education (12%), and municipalities (8%), among others.
The Ombudsman’s office seeks to resolve cases at the local level without formal investigation wherever possible, and meets regularly with senior public sector officials to flag complaint trends and nip problems in the bud, Mr. Dubé notes. For example, in handling 4,051 complaints about provincial correctional facilities, Ombudsman staff prioritized cases relating to health and safety. They tracked 186 complaints about segregation (solitary confinement), 2,500 about inmate health care, and 300 about lockdowns – and monitored the response of the institutions and Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services to these issues.
In the new jurisdiction of municipalities, the conduct of municipal politicians was by far the most common concern brought to the Ombudsman – of 918 cases between January 1 and March 31, 266 related to councils and committees. The Ombudsman’s office has recommended that municipal legislation – now under review – make codes of conduct and integrity commissioners mandatory, and clarify the rules for closed meetings, which the Ombudsman also investigates in some 218 municipalities.
“It is an exciting time to be at Ombudsman Ontario as we chart our course into new waters,” Mr. Dubé writes, noting that he will continue to emphasize a collaborative approach in the years ahead. “We are building relationships to enhance the trust and credibility stakeholders have in the office, which will help us solve even more problems and enhance governance for the people we all serve.”
Source: Ombudsman Ontario - CANADA
