On November 17, 2022, the Office of the Executive Council released a report of the Acting Commissioner for Legislative Standards regarding a public interest disclosure filed with the Speaker of the House of Assembly against the Citizens’ Representative. The report clears the Citizens’ Representative of all allegations of gross mismanagement regarding his investigation of complaints against the Chief Electoral Officer of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Although the Acting Commissioner for Legislative Standards found no basis for findings of gross mismanagement, she questions the Citizens’ Representative’s decision-making with respect to his investigation regarding the complaints against the Chief Electoral Officer and subsequent reporting of the results of that investigation to the Speaker and the Clerk of the House of Assembly. She further recommended that the Citizens’ Representative apologize to the Chief Electoral Officer, the Speaker and the Clerk of the House of Assembly.

The Office of the Executive Council has referred the report to the House of Assembly Management Commission for consideration.

With respect to the recommendations in the report, it is the position of the Office of the Citizens’ Representative that it would not be appropriate, nor is it necessary, to issue apologies to the Chief Electoral Officer, the Speaker or the Clerk of the House of Assembly. Doing so would undermine the independence of the Citizens’ Representative and runs contrary to the very purpose of its Statutory Office, and its statutory duty.

By statute, the Citizens’ Representative is an Officer of the House of Assembly. Importantly, this is intended to safeguard the Citizens’ Representative’s ability to fulfill his responsibilities faithfully and impartially by making him independent of the government and its administration.

The Office of the Citizens’ Representative’s priority is to protect those who come forward at great personal and professional risk to make disclosures of wrongdoing in the public interest. This is what the Office has done, and what the Office will continue to do.

The Office of the Citizens’ Representative is committed to strengthening accountability and the integrity of the public service in Newfoundland and Labrador.

As this matter is under review, the Office of the Citizens’ Representative is not taking media inquiries.

About the Office of the Citizens’ Representative

• The Office of the Citizens’ Representative (“OCR”) is an Office of the House of Assembly that provides a province-wide ombudsman service with respect to provincial government services and programs.
• An ombudsman is a neutral official who receives and investigates complaints. While obligated to report its activities to the House of Assembly as a whole, the OCR operates independently of the political process. Its services are confidential and free of charge.
• The OCR is committed to conducting investigations as informally and expeditiously as possible, ensuring the right to procedural fairness and natural justice of all persons involved in an investigation is respected, including those making disclosures, witnesses, and persons alleged to be responsible for wrongdoing.
• Since 2007, the OCR has been responsible for the Public Interest Disclosure Program for the House of Assembly under the House of Assembly Accountability, Integrity and Administration Act.

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