New Ombudsman

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An all-party Members' Services Board (Board) of the Yukon Legislative Assembly consisting of the Hon. Nils Clarke, Brad Cathers, and Kate White announced today that it would be recommending the appointment of Jason Pedlar as the next Yukon Ombudsman.

Jason Pedlar became Yukon’s first Deputy Ombudsman, Deputy Information and Privacy Commissioner, and Deputy Public Interest Disclosure Commissioner in July 2021. Previously he served as the Director of Intake and Informal Case Resolution for the office.

As Deputy, Jason is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the office, including management of a team of professional staff delivering complaint analysis, investigations, decisions and recommendations, and reporting in accordance with relevant legislation.

Jason has worked in the dispute resolution field for more than 20 years with roles as an organizational ombudsman, mediator, auditor, privacy professional, consultant, and educator in both the public and private sectors in Canada.

Jason is the former Ombudsman of a large Canadian insurance company and worked for the Ontario government as a mediator. Prior to that he was the Director of the Centre for Conflict Resolution Studies at the University of Prince Edward Island.

He has a master’s degree in Conflict Analysis and Management from Royal Roads University and has developed and taught university courses and delivered corporate training in conflict resolution.

Ms. Diane McLeod-McKay, the current Ombudsman, will be leaving the position on July 29, 2022, to become the Alberta Information and Privacy Commissioner.

The Ombudsman Act requires that the Ombudsman be appointed by the Commissioner in Executive Council on receipt of the recommendation of the Legislative Assembly made by at least two-thirds of the members of the Assembly. The required motion will be debated in the House in the Fall. The Ombudsman is appointed to a five-year term and may be reappointed.

The Ombudsman is an independent officer of the Legislative Assembly who, in accordance with the provisions of the Ombudsman Act, investigates complaints about fairness of public administration. The Ombudsman also serves as the Yukon's Information and Privacy Commissioner and, as such, is charged with fulfilling the duties of that position in accordance with the provisions of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Health Information Privacy and Management Act. In addition, the Ombudsman serves as the Yukon’s Public Interest Disclosure Commissioner and, as such, is charged with fulfilling the duties of that position in accordance with provisions of the Public Interest Disclosure of Wrongdoing Act.

Contact:

Helen Fitzsimmons
Yukon Legislative Assembly Office
867-667-5618