BackMaintaining the bond of trust with citizens is a major issue for public services and elected officials, Ombudsperson Raymonde Saint-Germain declared at the 65th National Annual Conference of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC).
Here are some examples of the complaints from citizens the Québec Ombudsman handles every year:
- The feeling they have not been considered and treated correctly;
- Misunderstanding of a decision or an action of the Administration, with the resulting impression that it is unfounded;
- The feeling that the Administration is an “adversary” against whom individuals feel powerless;
- The conviction they are paying taxes without receiving equivalent value in terms of quality services.
"I insist on the importance of the human factor in the relationship of trust, Ms. Saint-Germain declared. Deviation by executives and workers from the fundamental values of the public service is most often at the origin of the erosion – if not the loss – of trust."
Public policies and governance can no longer be conceived in a vacuum, the Ombudsperson concluded, calling on the participants in the Conference and the IPAC members to be more transparent in their work, to be ethical role models, to be motivated by pride in the service they provide, and to know citizens’ needs and expectations better.
Raymonde Saint-Germain's Speech at the 65th Conference of the IPAC is available on the website of the Québec Ombudsman.
Source: Office of the Québec Ombudsman, Canada
