Ombuds Day – Message from the President

Dear FCO members,

Each and every one of you works every day to resolve conflicts, investigate complex situations, find the right balance between what should be and what is possible, extend a collaborative hand without complacency, build trust in a helpful but not too close way, bring out a sense of justice, educate and raise awareness about fairness and its components, call out without needless blame, hold accountable without personalizing, follow up without harassing, make public with humility, reconcile without compromising, and on top of it all, be an inspirational leader.

Today, we celebrate your masterful ability to do all of that and then some. We celebrate you as part of a movement towards resolving conflict and achieving resolution. Citizens, clients, patients, students, and all types of complainants are counting on you. But so are organizations. They need that sharp and fair eye. Some know this and value the work we do while others sometimes make the job a little more complex. But in the end, the ombudsman’s contribution is undeniable and most often translates into a feeling of justice, fairness and transparency on both sides.

This is why we must work to raise awareness of our profession and the value it provides. The FCO understands the challenges this represents and intends to be your ally in this mission as well as in all your other challenges.

In keeping with the theme of this year’s Ombuds Day: Ombuds: exploring options to resolve conflict, together, I would like to reiterate that we are the experts in exploring alternative dispute resolution. Together. And with the other, whoever he or she may be.

Nadine Mailloux