Victoria – Provincial Ombudsperson Kim Carter wants people who feel that they have not been treated fairly by the administrative processes of the Civil Forfeiture Office to know they can bring their complaints to her office.

“It’s important that people know they can come to us if they feel a government agency such as the Civil Forfeiture Office has not dealt with their problem adequately or fairly. Often when we’re able to resolve one person’s complaint, it can lead to changes that improve things for many others in similar situations”, said Ms. Carter. Ms. Carter said that she’s noted the high level of public concern about the fairness of the Civil Forfeiture Office’s administrative process and wants to ensure that people are aware of all the options they have for addressing problems. “While people know they can bring problems to the attention of the ministry, some may not be aware that my office can also respond to these complaints, and may be able to find fair resolutions.”

The Ombudsperson Office can conduct impartial and confidential investigations to determine whether a public agency is treating the people it services fairly, and in many cases is able to achieve satisfactory resolutions of complaints. When necessary, the Ombudsperson can also make findings and recommend solutions to complex, systemic problems and report to the legislative assembly. The public bodies over which the Ombudsperson has jurisdiction include: provincial ministries, health authorities, Crown corporations, colleges and universities, boards of education and local government.The Ombudsperson Office does not have jurisdiction over the courts. In 2012/13, the Ombudsperson Office dealt with approximately 7,500 complaints and enquiries.