Sifting through a stack of files in her Brandon office, Susan Archibald shares a glimpse of the work that flows across her desk each month.
Archibald is senior investigator for the Brandon office of the provincial ombudsman. The office opened May 1 to handle complaints from people who feel unfairly treated by the province or a municipal government.
“We’ve dealt with the gamut,” Archibald said, describing the types of complaints arriving at the office. “We’ve had over 100 complaints.”
Inmates at correctional centres complain when they’re denied a weekend pass. Homeowners phone when their property taxes or assessments seem out of whack. Some people even complain to the ombudsman when they believe they got a raw deal on a car, although that doesn’t fall within the ombudsman’s jurisdiction.
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The challenge for Archibald is sorting through the grievances and deciding which have merit.
She approaches each case as a puzzle. Sometimes the puzzle is easy to piece together, she said. Other times, the issues are complex and technical.
Either way, the ombudsman’s office gives people a place to have their concerns heard. Valid complaints undergo a thorough and impartial investigation, Archibald said.
“I think anyone who comes to us with a complaint really believes their complaint is valid,” said the soft-spoken senior investigator. “We don’t get many frivolous or vexatious complaints.”
At times, the problem arises from a lack of communication. However, there are times when the ombudsman recommends changes to a decision or procedure of a government department or agency.
The ombudsman can’t impose penalties or order a government department or municipality to change a decision. But it can pressure governments or departments through lobbying or by making the issue public.
“There are mistakes made and there are ommisions,” said Archibald, who has a lengthy resume as an investigator. “When these things are brought to light, we’re finding that departments and agencies are prepared to apologize and do what’s necessary to right what went wrong.”
Some of the complaints heard from the farming community involve property boundaries, approaches to land and drainage disputes. But most farm-related complaints are aimed at the Manitoba Agricultural Credit Corporation and the Manitoba Crop Insurance Corporation because farmers have extensive contact with those agencies, said Archibald.
Complaints that fall outside the ombudsman’s jurisdiction are referred to someone who can help. The ombudsman does not usually review a complaint if other avenues of appeal exist. And the ombudsman does not take the place of the courts.
“Our complainants can get fixated on the issues,” said Archibald. “It’s incredible sometimes how much they’re consumed by these issues. I think it’s great that they have a place to come where someone independent and impartial can look at it for them.”
