An Act to Amend the Ombudsperson Act
Chamber
pei
Stage
Introduced
This bill expands PEI's Ombudsperson Act to cover complaints about post-secondary institutions like UPEI and Holland College.
Key Changes
- Adds post-secondary institutions (UPEI, Holland College, and Université de l'Île-du-Prince-Édouard) to the list of bodies the Ombudsperson can investigate
- Requires the Ombudsperson to notify the president or governing body chairperson of a post-secondary institution when a complaint is being investigated
- Requires the Ombudsperson to consult with the institution's president or governing body chairperson before forming a final opinion on an investigation
- Requires the Ombudsperson to refer evidence of staff misconduct or breach of duty to the appropriate institutional leader
- Updates multiple sections of the existing Act to include references to post-secondary institutions throughout
Gotchas
- The bill requires the Ombudsperson to consult with institutional leadership before finalizing opinions, which could introduce delays or influence in the investigation process
- The Ombudsperson retains the ability to continue an investigation even after referring misconduct evidence to institutional leadership, preserving some independence
- The bill does not specify what actions the institution must take after receiving a referral from the Ombudsperson regarding misconduct
- Only three specific named institutions are covered; any future post-secondary institutions in PEI would not automatically fall under this Act without further amendments
Who's Affected
- Students at UPEI, Holland College, and Université de l'Île-du-Prince-Édouard
- Staff and employees of these post-secondary institutions
- Governing bodies and presidents of these institutions
- The PEI Ombudsperson's office
Vibes
0 responses
Gotchas
- The bill requires the Ombudsperson to consult with institutional leadership before finalizing opinions, which could introduce delays or influence in the investigation process
- The Ombudsperson retains the ability to continue an investigation even after referring misconduct evidence to institutional leadership, preserving some independence
- The bill does not specify what actions the institution must take after receiving a referral from the Ombudsperson regarding misconduct
- Only three specific named institutions are covered; any future post-secondary institutions in PEI would not automatically fall under this Act without further amendments
Summary
This bill changes Prince Edward Island's Ombudsperson Act so that the provincial Ombudsperson can investigate complaints related to post-secondary institutions. Previously, the Ombudsperson could only look into complaints about government agencies and publicly-funded health entities. This bill adds UPEI, Holland College, and the Université de l'Île-du-Prince-Édouard to the list of organizations the Ombudsperson has authority over. The bill affects students, staff, and anyone else who might have a complaint about how these schools are run. It gives people a formal, independent avenue to raise concerns about decisions or conduct at these institutions that they feel are unfair or improper. This bill was introduced as a private member's bill by MLA Karla Bernard. It reflects a broader push to ensure that publicly connected educational institutions are subject to independent oversight, similar to government agencies.
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Vibes
0 responses