Role of the Ombudsman

The Ombudsman is an independent review officer with broad investigative, auditing and reporting powers under FIPPA. If you are not satisfied with the public body’s response to your FIPPA request, you can make a complaint to the Manitoba Ombudsman’s Office.

You may complain if:

• you have not received a response to your application within 30 days.

• you do not believe the extension of the response time beyond 30 days is appropriate.

• you have been denied access to all or part of the records for which you applied.

• your request for correction of your personal information has been refused.

• you believe your own personal information has been collected, used, or disclosed in violation of FIPPA.

• as a third party, you wish to contest a decision of a public body to give access to records against your wishes.

• you are the relative of a deceased person who has been refused access to that person’s personal information by a public body.

Generally, the complaint must be made within 60 days after being notified of the access decision and must be on the prescribed Complaint Form.

The Ombudsman will investigate your complaint and will take steps to try to resolve it informally, to the satisfaction of the parties involved and in a manner consistent with the purposes and requirements of FIPPA. If the complaint cannot be resolved informally and is found to be supportable, the Ombudsman will make recommendations to the public body. Written notification of the Ombudsman’s findings and any recommendations to the public body will be sent to you, when the investigation is completed.

For further information about the powers of the Manitoba Ombudsman under FIPPA and the procedure for making a complaint, visit the website of the Office of the Ombudsman.