2. Program Profile

2.1 Description

In 2018, following a Deputy Minister Task Team on Harassment's review of the public service's harassment framework, the Privy Council Office released a report on 'Safe Workspaces: Starting a Dialogue and Taking Action on Harassment in the Public Service'. The report recommended that all departments "put in place an Ombuds-type function to provide all employees with a trusted, safe space to discuss harassment without fear of reprisal and to help navigate existing systems". The Clerk of the Privy Council recognized Ombuds offices as a best practice and encouraged all departments and agencies to put this function in place to support healthy and safe spaces.

Following this report, Justice Canada’s Organizational Ombuds Office was established in 2021. While central agencies recommended that all departments have an Ombuds Office, they did not provide a specific set of requirements, leaving departments with some flexibility in terms of structure and governance. As such, Justice Canada amalgamated their Organizational Ombuds' office with their pre-existing ICMS. The ICMS was established in 2006 with the purpose of supporting the capacity of all Justice employees, in all roles and at all levels, to address conflict promptly and constructively, in a safe and accessible environment, with a spirit of respect, while using a collaborative, interest-based approach. The amalgamation created what is now known as the Ombuds and Informal Resolution Services Office, integrating the full suite of informal conflict resolution mechanisms commonly provided by Ombuds offices.

OIRSO is comprised of an Organizational Ombuds, ICMS practitioners, and support staff. It reports directly to the Deputy Minister and is functionally independent of the administrative structure of Justice Canada. It is an active member of the International Ombuds Association and of the Interdepartmental Council of Organizational Ombudsman. The Office serves all Justice Canada employees, at all levels of the organization (including executives, managers and supervisors) regardless of work location or employment status.

OIRSO’s mandate is to provide Justice Canada employees and managers with a safe and independent place where they can speak freely without fear of judgement or reprisal, about a variety of concerns affecting them in the workplace.

OIRSO aims to achieve this safe space through an ethical commitment to preserve the confidentiality of those seeking services, maintaining an impartial position with respect to the concerns raised, operating informally as an additional independent resource outside of the Department's formal complaints mechanisms, and operating independently from Justice Canada’s organizational structures. The Office aims to support Justice Canada employees and managers navigate through the available resources and processes to help them make sound and informed decisions and resolve conflict effectively in a timely manner.

OIRSO’s key functions and activities include:

2.2 Resources

OIRSO was announced in July 2020 and initially funded through the transfer of resources from the Management Sector for ICMS. At the time of the evaluation, there were a total of 7.5 FTEs in a variety of employee categories, including Personnel Administration and Administrative Services.

Starting in 2021-22, Justice Canada has allocated approximately $1 million annually to OIRSO. Actual expenditures incurred per FY are presented in Table 1 on the following page:

Table 1: Financial Resources Incurred from 2020-21 to 2023-24 by OIRSO
Categories FY 2020-21 FY 2021-22 FY 2022-23 FY 2023-24
Operating ActualsFootnote 1,Footnote 2 $176,617Footnote 3 $978,552 $998,001 1,308,667Footnote 4

Notes

1 Operating actuals include salaries and benefits, as well as operations and maintenance. Comprehensive Employee Benefit Plan (EBP) rate aligns with external reporting (Public Accounts). Exercises on or after April 1, 2019, were reported at a 27% comprehensive EBP rate (20% prior). Accommodation and Supply and Services Canada costs are excluded from this table as they go directly to their respective department, and they are not in Main Estimates.

2 OIRSO does not have any grants or contributions funding (Vote 5).

3 The Justice Ombuds Office was created in the Financial System on December 8th, 2020, to coincide with the official appointment of the Justice Ombuds (January 4th, 2021). Actuals incurred in 2020-21 are reflective of the Office’s establishment as a separate entity within the departmental organizational structure.

4 Operating actuals in 2023-24 are as of April 23, 2024.

Source: Department of Justice Financial Data