The Ombudsman

In 2002, Passport Canada began steps to set up an Adjudication and Conflict Management Office, which includes the services of an Ombudsman.

Passport Canada has a responsibility not only to ensure the security of travel documents, but also to provide quality service. To this end, Passport Canada established values and standards for reaching these objectives.

The Ombudsman has established the standards of fairness checklist based on these Values and Standards .

Mission

To issue internationally respected travel documents.

Role of the Ombudsman

Passport Canada's primary mission is to issue secure and internationally-recognized travel documents. It must therefore impose certain requirements on passport applicants in order to ensure the credibility of the Canadian passport.

The Ombudsman's objective is to provide assistance as an agent of change to encourage reflection on your part and on the part of Passport Canada. To reach this objective, the Ombudsman offers mediation services. The Ombudsman hears complaints concerning the fairness of the rules applied and decisions that are not satisfactory to complainants. In the presence of alternate courses of action, the Ombudsman may refer complainants to these other resources.

Through mediation, the parties take ownership of the solution when a situation calls for a change of practice or expectations. The role of the Ombudsman is to weigh the impacts and reasonableness of Passport Canada requirements imposed on applicants who are dissatisfied with the service received. An investigation is then conducted to determine the merits of the case and the facts related to the complaint so that it can be resolved promptly.

The Ombudsman also provides, at the request of the parties, mediation and arbitration services to address contract disputes between Passport Canada and its suppliers of goods and services that stem from disagreements between the two parties on the nature and delivery of these goods and services.