December 12, 2016

12 December 2016

Point the finger at lack of de-escalation training, ombudsman says at Ottawa forum (Orleans News)

Paul Dubé, Ontario’s ombudsman, addressed a crowd including Ottawa police at the police service’s second annual Human Rights Learning Forum on Dec. 8 at the St. Elias Centre.

December 2, 2016

2 December 2016

Ontario ombudsman announces review of process of placing prisoners in solitary (The Star)

Review follows in the wake of the Adam Capay case and a rising number of complaints.

December 2, 2016

2 December 2016

Ontario ombudsman investigating province's use of solitary confinement (The Globe and Mail)

Ontario’s Ombudsman has launched an investigation into the way the province tracks and reviews the placement of prisoners in solitary confinement.

December 2, 2016

2 December 2016

Ontario Ombudsman has had more than 500 complaints about use of solitary confinement (The London Free Press)

Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dube is adding his voice to the growing questions about segregation in the province’s jails, launching a probe into the controversial practice.

November 4, 2016

4 November 2016

Family Responsibility Office received 1,000+ complaints last year, needs 'urgent change' (CBC Toronto)

A Toronto mother says she's been in bureaucratic limbo for more than six months after filing an application with the Family Responsibility Office (FRO) in order to retrieve missing child support payments.

 

November 2, 2016

2 November 2016

Ottawa jail in the top three for complaints, despite fewer inmates (Ottawa Citizen)

The Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre remained among the three most complained about jails in Ontario, a dubious distinction it earned despite being the only jail in the top five that housed fewer than 1,000 inmates.

November 2, 2016

2 November 2016

Agency that enforces child support generates most complaints: Ombudsman (Canadian Press)

TORONTO -- Ontario's Family Responsibility Office, which enforces court-ordered child and spousal support payments, tops the list of provincial government organizations generating complaints to the ombudsman's office.

September 26, 2016

26 September 2016

Ombudsman investigating recent school busing problems at TDSB and TCDSB (CTV News)

Ontario ombudsman Paul Dubé will probe the recent school busing problems at the city’s two primary boards, his office announced Monday.

September 26, 2016

26 September 2016

Ombudsman launches investigation into Toronto school bus chaos (The Star)

Paul Dubé announced on Monday that the TDSB and TCDSB will be investigated as the shortage of drivers continues to frustrate Toronto parents.

September 19, 2016

19 September 2016

Ontario ombudsman reports 182 complaints received about universities (The Varsity)

Ombudsman’s university oversight began in January.

September 9, 2016

9 September 2016

Ontario's ombudsman will probe school bus driver shortage (CBC News)

Paul Dubé could make recommendations to solve the problem and improve future services.

September 6, 2016

6 September 2016

Ombudsman's office resolves most complaints about schools without investigations (The Canadian Press)

TORONTO - The office of Ontario's ombudsman received more than 700 complaints in the first year it had oversight of school boards, but says 85 per cent were resolved without a formal investigation.

August 30, 2016

30 August 2016

Ombudsman congratulated for report (Sarnia Observer)

I would like to congratulate the Ontario Ombudsman, Paul Dubé, on the thoroughness of his report on developmental services in Ontario (Sarnia Observer, Aug 26). The report highlights situations of crisis and challenges of access into services for adults with developmental disabilities. The crisis circumstances described within the report are unacceptable.

August 25, 2016

25 August 2016

Heartbreaking cycle for those with developmental disabilities needs to end (Toronto Sun)

The stories are horrific.

Patrick, 24, had cerebral palsy and couldn’t speak. He was placed in a local nursing home because his mother could no longer cope with his aggressive outbursts.

August 24, 2016

24 August 2016

Treatment of adults with developmental disabilities 'deeply flawed': Ombudsman (Ottawa Citizen)

The way Ontario cares for developmentally delayed adults and their families is “deeply flawed”, says Ontario’s ombudsman, whose four-year investigation revealed “shocking systemic problems” in the province’s treatment of the disabled.

August 24, 2016

24 August 2016

Ontario fails to help people with developmental disabilities: Ombud (The Canadian Press)

TORONTO - Widespread inconsistencies and gaps in Ontario's support network have left many adults with developmental disabilities scrambling for care, at times exposing them to abuse or landing them behind bars, a new report said Wednesday.

August 24, 2016

24 August 2016

Ontario ombudsman calls for systematic overhaul of care for adults with developmental disabilities (CBC News)

Ombudsman's report says 'desperate' families often struggle to negotiate maze of social service agencies.

August 24, 2016

24 August 2016

Province must act immediately to support people with developmental disabilities: Editorial (Toronto Star)

The province should move quickly to implement Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dubé's recommendations on how to end Ontario's shameful treatment of people with developmental disabilities.

August 24, 2016

24 August 2016

Ontario must fix ‘deeply flawed’ system to help people with developmental disabilities, ombudsman says (Toronto Star)

Paul Dubé said in his report that he found “a fragmented, overly complicated system of service agencies and funding programs, and a baffling lack of flexibility from officials at the top.”

July 27, 2016

27 July 2016

Death of Abdirahman Abdi fuels calls for police training reforms (Global News)

Calls for changes to police training are getting louder after Abdirahman Abdi, a mentally-ill Ottawa man, died in the wake of a confrontation with police this week.

July 27, 2016

27 July 2016

Ontario's ombudsman calls death of Ottawa man after arrest 'tragic' (CBC News)

Paul Dubé released a report on use-of-force nearly four weeks before Abdirahman Abdi's death.

July 20, 2016

20 July 2016

Hamilton’s closed-door review of election-spending complaints broke the rules: Ombudsman (Hamilton Spectator)

Provincial Ombudsman Paul Dubé has ruled Hamilton’s election compliance audit committee wrongly deliberated behind closed doors last year.

July 19, 2016

19 July 2016

Ombudsman slaps Oshawa’s wrist over closed-door meeting (Oshawa This Week)

Session with OPUC should have been held in public.

July 4, 2016

4 July 2016

Focus: New ombudsman on the scene (Law Times)

Paul Dubé is walking in the hallway of his 10th floor Bay Street office when an older man wearing a plaid shirt suddenly approaches him. “Excuse me, sir, are you the ombudsman?” the man eagerly asks. “I have a case here.”

June 29, 2016

29 June 2016

Time to ensure police are trained to talk first (Toronto Sun)

Eight seconds.
 
That’s all the time it took for cops to slam the door of their cruiser and proceed to shoot Michael MacIsaac, says his sister Joanne.

June 29, 2016

29 June 2016

Ombudsman wants police to get better training in de-escalation techniques (The Canadian Press)

TORONTO - Families of people killed by police are "hopeful" the Ontario government will act on an ombudsman's report calling for improved training in de-escalation techniques for officers who encounter people in crisis.

June 29, 2016

29 June 2016

Report after Sammy Yatim’s death slams police training (Toronto Star)

Citing an “urgent need” for improvements to police training, Ontario’s Ombudsman is calling for the province to create a regulation requiring police to deescalate and use communications techniques in all possible conflict situations before resorting to force.

May 27, 2016

27 May 2016

Council to question staff on findings of illegal procedure (Simcoe Reformer)

Council was prepared to discuss the findings of Ontario ombudsman Paul Dube at its regular meeting Tuesday. However, two key players in the episode – CAO Keith Robicheau and clerk Andrew Grozelle – were not in attendance.

May 25, 2016

25 May 2016

Ontario Ombudsman to probe City of Brampton’s business practices (Brampton Guardian)

Ontario’s Ombudsman has launched an inquiry into Brampton’s procurement practices but won't touch a controversial downtown development deal that has mired city hall in controversy since 2011.

May 25, 2016

25 May 2016

Ontario ombudsman tackles Brampton city hall (Toronto Star)

Procurement probe will be the first “systemic” municipal investigation under Paul Dubé’s new powers.

May 12, 2016

12 May 2016

Ban long-term solitary confinement: Editorial (Toronto Star)

Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dubé is right to call for a ban on the long-term solitary confinement of prison inmates.

May 10, 2016

10 May 2016

Ontario ombudsman calls on province to end indefinite segregation in jails (The Canadian Press)

Ontario's ombudsman has urged the provincial government to stop putting inmates in segregation for longer than 15 days.

May 10, 2016

10 May 2016

Ontario's Ombudsman calls for end to indefinite segregation (Ottawa Citizen)

Ontario’s ombudsman is calling on the province to permanently abolish the practice of locking up inmates in solitary confinement for indefinite periods of time.

May 10, 2016

10 May 2016

Mental illness particular concern for inmates in indefinite isolation, says Paul Dubé (London Free Press)

A call by Ontario’s citizen watchdog to stop segregating inmates for longer than 15 days is a step in the right direction, says a London lawyer outspoken about the treatment of people in jails.

May 10, 2016

10 May 2016

Ontario ombudsman calls for end to long-term solitary confinement in jails (Globe and Mail)

In a scathing appraisal of Ontario prison practices, the provincial Ombudsman is pushing for a ban on long-term solitary confinement, a move that would make the province the first jurisdiction in Canada to apply United Nations guidelines to the draconian form of incarceration. Ombudsman Paul Dubé made the recommendations on Tuesday, part of an exhaustive submission to the province’s continuing review of solitary confinement – formally termed “segregation” – in its 27 correctional facilities.

April 2, 2016

2 April 2016

Meet Ontario's new ombudsman (Toronto Sun)

Paul Dubé took the oath of office Friday to become the new Ontario Ombudsman.

April 1, 2016

1 April 2016

A conversation with Paul Dubé, Ontario’s new ombudsman​ (QP Briefing)

Dubé emphasizes his collaborative style and focus on building trust and credibility with public agencies - and also confirms he won't be quite the presence on Twitter that his predecessor was.

April 1, 2016

1 April 2016

‘This is a job I’ve dreamt of’: Ontario’s ombudsman talks Twitter, transparency and his new role (National Post)

Ontario’s newest watchdog wants to soften his office’s bark.

February 19, 2016

19 February 2016

What you need to know about the Ontario Ombudsman’s expanded oversight of municipalities, universities and school boards

On February 5, 2016, the Ontario Bar Association presented a breakfast program titled “What you need to know about the Ontario Ombudsman’s expanded oversight of municipalities, universities and school boards”. Laura Pettigrew, General Counsel at the Ontario Ombudsman, and Barbara Finlay, Acting Ombudsman, each spoke about the Ontario Ombudsman’s expanded jurisdiction.  Acting Deputy Ombudsman Wendy Ray moderated the program.

February 16, 2016

16 February 2016

Paul Dubé to succeed André Marin as next Ontario ombudsman (Toronto Star)

Federal tax watchdog will succeed André Marin as the new full-time Ombudsman of Ontario, it was announced in the legislature on Tuesday.

February 8, 2016

8 February 2016

Former Caledon officer encourages first responders to step out of the shadows and talk about mental health (Caledon Enterprise)

Ten first responders and two members of the military took their lives in the first six weeks of the year.

January 25, 2016

25 January 2016

Ontario ombudsman can now investigate universities (The Dialog)

The office of the Ontario ombudsman received new powers on Jan. 1 allowing it to launch investigations into complaints about universities and municipalities in Ontario.

January 24, 2016

24 January 2016

Watchdog’s purview expands to include university, city hall (The London Free Press)

If you’ve got a beef with Western University or city hall, you’ve got a new go-to place to turn.

January 20, 2016

20 January 2016

Watchdog starts New Year with new powers (Parry Sound North Star)

This year, the New Year will not only ring in resolutions, it will also welcome a bigger watchdog.

January 15, 2016

15 January 2016

How do we help the first responders who endure trauma when helping us? (The Globe and Mail)

Late one night in the summer of 2014, Bill Rusk, a police sergeant in Owen Sound, Ont., was crouched on the roof of a downtown store, watching the window of a second-floor apartment in the building next door. His squad had come to bust up a drug deal, and had been told that a violent man was hiding inside with a sawed-off shotgun.