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Public complaints are made by phone, online, in writing, in person, via email or through the office. If it is decided that an investigation is warranted, investigators are assigned to review the matter and gather evidence. Complainants are advised to try and resolve their issue through the complaint and appeal procedures offered by the government agency in question. Ombudsman staff assist people who are unsure whether an avenue of appeal exists. |
Public complaints are made by phone, online, in writing, in person, via email or through the office. If it is decided that an investigation is warranted, investigators are assigned to review the matter and gather evidence. Complainants are advised to try and resolve their issue through the complaint and appeal procedures offered by the government agency in question. Ombudsman staff assist people who are unsure whether an avenue of appeal exists. |
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=== Recent Reports === |
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====December 2010 ==== |
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A report was released on the province's conduct in regards to the [[2010 G-20 Toronto summit]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|title = Ombudsman Andre Marin has recommended that the little-known 1939 legislation should be revised and protocols developed so the public is made aware when police powers are modified.|url = http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/g20/2010/12/07/ombudsman_charges_g20_secret_law_was_illegal.html|newspaper = The Toronto Star|date = 2010-12-07|access-date = 2015-10-23|issn = 0319-0781|first = Robert Benzie and Rob|last = Ferguson}}</ref> Marin said that it was "illegal" for the government to pass secret regulations allowing for the detaining of protesters during the [[2010 G-20 Toronto summit protests]].<ref name=":0" /> |
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==== October 2013 ==== |
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A report criticizing [[London, Ontario]] mayor [[Joe Fontana]] and city councillors for a secret meeting at a restaurant where they discussed city business.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|title = Ontario Ombudsman André Marin’s has found a secret meeting of the mayor and six London, Ont. city council members was a betrayal of public trust.|url = http://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2013/10/22/ombudsman_andr_marin_says_secret_council_meeting_in_london_betrayed_public_trust.html|newspaper = The Toronto Star|date = 2013-10-22|access-date = 2015-10-23|issn = 0319-0781|first = Richard J.|last = Brennan}}</ref> The councillors and mayor denied the report.<ref name=":2" /> |
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==== November 2014 ==== |
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A report was released regarding unlicensed home daycares for children and included the events that led to the deaths of four children in unlicensed home daycares.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|title = Andre Marin issued an unprecedented 113 recommendations, and calls the case of 2-year-old Eva Ravikovich’s death in a ‘brazenly illegal’ daycare, the ‘canary in the coal mine.’|url = http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/10/22/ontario_ombudsman_slams_systematic_government_ineptitude_for_daycare_deaths.html|newspaper = The Toronto Star|date = 2014-10-22|access-date = 2015-10-23|issn = 0319-0781|first = Laurie|last = Monsebraaten|first2 = Marco Chown|last2 = Oved}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web|title = Ontario's unlicensed daycares require 'urgent action': ombudsman Andre Marin|url = http://www.torontosun.com/2014/10/22/ontarios-unlicensed-daycares-require-urgent-action-ombudsman-andre-marin?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=recommend-button&utm_campaign=Ontario%27s%20unlicensed%20daycares%20require%20%27urgent%20action%27:%20ombudsman%20Andre%20Marin|website = Toronto Sun|accessdate = 2015-10-23}}</ref> The investigation was prompted after a 2-year-old child died in an unlicensed daycare in [[Vaughan]].<ref name=":3" /> Marin issued an "unprecedented" 113 recommendations, and called on the province to take urgent action.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4" /> |
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== List of Ontario Ombudsmen== |
== List of Ontario Ombudsmen== |
Revision as of 07:28, 2 November 2015
Legislative branch overview | |
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Formed | July 10, 1975[1] |
Jurisdiction | Government of Ontario |
Headquarters | Office of the Ombudsman of Ontario, Bell Trinity Square, 483 Bay Street, 10th Floor, South Tower, Toronto, Ontario M5G 2C9 43°39′12″N 79°22′56″W / 43.6534366°N 79.3823149°W |
Motto | Ontario's Watchdog |
Employees | ~80 staff[2] |
Annual budget | $11,288,100 (2013-14)[3] |
Legislative branch executive |
|
Parent Legislative branch | Office of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario |
Key document | |
Website | www |
The Office of the Ontario Ombudsman is a branch of the Ontario provincial legislature in Canada. The office's jurisdiction includes more than 500 provincial government ministries, agencies, corporations, tribunals, boards and commissions. In addition to the oversight of governmental bodies the office is also responsible for the intake of public complaints which indicate the possibility of maladministration within the government of Ontario and in the appropriate cases conducts an investigation. The office is generally an office of last resort and cannot legally conduct investigations into the lives of private citizens or the private sector.
The office's official director holds the title of "ombudsman" and is appointed to a five-year renewable term by a provincially legislated all-party committee. The ombudsman may launch investigations of his or her own accord or motion.
All Canadian provinces with the exception of Prince Edward Island have a provincial ombudsman (known as Protecteur/protectrice du citoyen in Quebec and Citizens' Representative in Newfoundland and Labrador).
Historical development
In March 1975, Ontario became the seventh province to establish an Ombudsman's office, preceded by Alberta and New Brunswick (1967), Quebec (1968), Manitoba and Nova Scotia (1970) and Saskatchewan (1972).
In December 2014, the provincial legislature passed Bill 8, the Public Sector and MPP Accountability and Transparency Act expanding the office's jurisdiction by granting it the ability to oversee three of the four areas of "M.U.S.H." sector. The M.U.S.H. sector includes: municipalities, universities, school boards, and hospitals. Oversight was granted over all areas with the exception of hospitals. Oversight involving school boards began September 1, 2015, while oversight of municipalities and universities begins January 1, 2016.[5]
In February 2015, the provincial government announced it would require that all Officers of the Legislature undergo an open competition to fill the roles.[6]
Ombudsman Act
The powers and authority secured by the Office of the Ontario Ombudsman are set out in the Ombudsman Act. Powers include: permission to enter any government premises to gather evidence without a legal warrant and the power to acquire evidence from witnesses. Witnesses include individuals, government officials and employees. If the ombudsman decides a witness is "un-cooperative" they can face criminal charges. To date no charges have been laid since the Act was introduced.
The ombudsman may report his or her findings from their investigations publicly if it is found that a "decision, recommendation, act or omission" made by a government body under the office's jurisdiction was contrary to law.[7]
Complaints procedure
Public complaints are made by phone, online, in writing, in person, via email or through the office. If it is decided that an investigation is warranted, investigators are assigned to review the matter and gather evidence. Complainants are advised to try and resolve their issue through the complaint and appeal procedures offered by the government agency in question. Ombudsman staff assist people who are unsure whether an avenue of appeal exists.
Recent Reports
December 2010
A report was released on the province's conduct in regards to the 2010 G-20 Toronto summit.[8] Marin said that it was "illegal" for the government to pass secret regulations allowing for the detaining of protesters during the 2010 G-20 Toronto summit protests.[8]
October 2013
A report criticizing London, Ontario mayor Joe Fontana and city councillors for a secret meeting at a restaurant where they discussed city business.[9] The councillors and mayor denied the report.[9]
November 2014
A report was released regarding unlicensed home daycares for children and included the events that led to the deaths of four children in unlicensed home daycares.[10][11] The investigation was prompted after a 2-year-old child died in an unlicensed daycare in Vaughan.[10] Marin issued an "unprecedented" 113 recommendations, and called on the province to take urgent action.[10][11]
List of Ontario Ombudsmen
- Arthur Maloney (1975–1979)
- Donald Morand (1979–1984)
- Daniel Hill (1984–1989)
- Roberta Jamieson (1989–1999)
- Clare Lewis (2000–2005)
- André Marin (2005–2015)
- Barbara Finlay (acting; 2015–present)
On September 14, 2015, the legislative committee called to choose the next ombudsman reported back to the Legislature that they had not reached a consensus within the allotted time. A motion to grant Marin a second extension until a new ombudsman is chosen was defeated. Marin's tenure as ombudsman ended on midnight of September 14, 2015.[12]
References
- ^ https://www.ombudsman.on.ca/Ombudsman/files/e4/e490248d-1f83-47e4-9909-0b8fc971ca30.pdf
- ^ https://ombudsman.on.ca/About-Us/The-Ombudsman-s-Office.aspx
- ^ http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/budget/estimates/2013-14/volume2/OMB.pdf
- ^ https://www.ombudsman.on.ca/Newsroom/Press-Release/2015/Acting-Ombudsman-of-Ontario-named--Barbara-Finlay-.aspx
- ^ Bill 8, Public Sector and MPP Accountability and Transparency Act, 2014, Legislative Assembly of Ontario.
- ^ "Ombudsman André Marin, other watchdogs must reapply when contracts expire" Toronto Star, Feb 25, 2015.
- ^ R.S.O. 1990, c. O.6, s. 21 (1)
- ^ a b Ferguson, Robert Benzie and Rob (2010-12-07). "Ombudsman Andre Marin has recommended that the little-known 1939 legislation should be revised and protocols developed so the public is made aware when police powers are modified". The Toronto Star. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
- ^ a b Brennan, Richard J. (2013-10-22). "Ontario Ombudsman André Marin's has found a secret meeting of the mayor and six London, Ont. city council members was a betrayal of public trust". The Toronto Star. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
- ^ a b c Monsebraaten, Laurie; Oved, Marco Chown (2014-10-22). "Andre Marin issued an unprecedented 113 recommendations, and calls the case of 2-year-old Eva Ravikovich's death in a 'brazenly illegal' daycare, the 'canary in the coal mine.'". The Toronto Star. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
- ^ a b "Ontario's unlicensed daycares require 'urgent action': ombudsman Andre Marin". Toronto Sun. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
- ^ "Motion to extend Ontario ombudsman Andre Marin's term denied". City News. September 14, 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2015.