Public Commons

• Fiona Crean speaking at Scadding CC Nov.25 2009 (notes by Jutta Mason)

Part of Ombudsman

Fiona Crean, the city's first ombudsman, was invited to a community meeting by City Councillor Adam Vaughan. She talked for about half an hour and then took questions.

She said that her office is "the place of last resort" and people have to show they tried all other avenues. The exception, she said, is undue delay in getting a response, something she seems to think is very bad. She also hates full voice-mailboxes, and people being shunted between departments. She said that the ombud's office pledges to answer the phone in three rings, and appointments made within a week. Next year they hope to publish timeline standards.

She also said that she doesn't like the game of "gotcha," but she does have some powers of investigation if needed: she has the power to enter premises, to sapoena witnesses and to seize documents.

She emphasized that we should "try her" if we want to know whether her office has any power and is willing to follow through. So we'll try the rink-opening issue.