4. French-language services ombudsman, agent of change
Commissioners and ombudsmen must always base their actions on moral imperatives, such as the active promotion of equity and exemplary ethical practices. They must carry out their mandates independently, objectively, impartially, responsibly and confidentially.
Accordingly, the Commissioner works to ensure that administrative errors are redressed and that laws, regulations, directives and policies reflect respect, justice and equity in all dealings with citizens. He establishes a dialogue between government authorities and citizens to deal with the unexpected effects of legislative deficiencies.
The role of the Commissioner as an Officer of the Legislature is certainly not to usurp the power of lawmakers or the government; the Commissioner does not have any power of sanction. However, the Commissioner does have the power to make recommendations, which translates into the power of moral persuasion. This can be reasonably effective for those who know how to use it. In this regard, the French-language services ombudsman well and truly serves as an agent of change for Francophone communities.
Consequently, to ensure ongoing dialogue with MPPs, the Commissioner recommended in 2014 the establishment of a standing legislative committee on French-language services or, alternatively, a standing legislative committee on officer affairs.2
2. “(…) the Commissioner believes that the formation of a legislative committee assigned to hear what the officers of the Legislative Assembly have to say would be an eminently responsible action. (…) since the issues he handles are so wide-ranging and important for Ontario society, this counterpart should not be a standing committee that is already responsible for a wide range of portfolios.” Office of the French Language Services Commissioner, Annual Report 2013-2014: Rooting for Francophones, Toronto, 2014, p. 7.