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Thursday, July 25, 2019

Interim Ombudsman presents 2018 Report for Gatineau

In 2018, the Office of the Ombudsman noted a 29.6% decrease in requests for intervention, compared to last year. 


Out of a total of 159 files received in 2018, during the period between June 26 and December 31, 2018:

• 82 were processed by the Interim Ombudsman; 26 were from Aylmer, the second smallest number after the Buckingham/Masson-Angers sector, which had only 7.

• 38 of the 82 files (46.3%) required intervention with the municipal administration.

After analysis, 21 of the 38 complaint files were found to be substantiated, or 55.2%.

•  3 requests for intervention were interrupted, under examination, given that the administration was adequately taken over at the request of the citizen.

• 10 recommendations were addressed to the General Directorate.

• 4 files opened in 2018 are still active and the processing time exceeds 120 days for 2 files.

• 4 cases were interrupted during the examination.


2018 marks the first year of the Office’s move to the Aylmer sector and the establishment of a working committee to review the structure of the Office of the Ombudsman.


Created in 2006, the Office of the Ombudsman of Ville de Gatineau was created with a team of volunteer commissioners supported by a Secretary General for more than 10 years. In 2018, City Council passed a resolution to establish a working committee to review the structure of the Office. 


The adoption of this resolution, CM-2018-448, made it possible to appoint an interim ombudsman, Maryline Caron, to provide Gatineau residents with free access to this neutral, impartial and independent service of last resort during the review of the Office’s structure.


Complaints made to the Ombudsman are admissible in cases where Ville de Gatineau or one of its representatives has:

Acted in an unreasonable, unfair, abusive or arbitrary manner;

Failed to comply with his or her duty or been guilty of misconduct or negligence;


In exercising his or her discretion, acted unfairly, for irrelevant reasons, or without explanation of his or her decision in a timely manner.

 
The Ombudsman’s office is located at 115 Principale Street, and its services can be accessed in person, by telephone at 819 595-4141, by e-mail, by post or via its website, http://ombudsmangatineau.ca.
 
In order to limit the difficulties related to geographical accessibility for residents of other areas of Gatineau, an appointment can also be scheduled, upon request, in a location convenient to the citizen.
 
 It was agreed with the municipal administration that premises would be available in the city’s various service centres for meetings with citizens. For the period from June 26 to December 31, 2018, the Interim Ombudsman held five meetings outside the Office to respond to citizens’ requests.