Andre Marin, CF Ombudsman, and beyond (merged)

[Cloud Cover]

Whew! That was a live one! Yikes. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall for that diagnostic session:

  etc.


I see it's another slow day on the prairies.

 

[pbi]

   etc.


I see it's another slow day on the prairies.

Hmmmm. Let's see:

"It was another slow day on the prairies when suddenly......"

OK-just kidding.

Cheers.

 

[GO!!!]

Sorry to hijack the thread back to it's origional point, but I'm interested in the opinions of some of the more senior members here.

Is the ombudsman another level of civilian bureaucracy designed to further corrode and civilianise the authority of the senior levels of the CF, or a necessary response to those senior officers neglect of their troops?

Thoughts?

 

[bossi]

Sorry to hijack the thread back to it's origional point, but I'm interested in the opinions of some of the more senior members here.

Is the ombudsman another level of civilian bureaucracy designed to further corrode and civilianise the authority of the senior levels of the CF, or a necessary response to those senior officers neglect of their troops?

Thoughts?

I've forgotten the proper/technical name for your "loaded question", but ... you presuppose neglect by an unspecified number of senior officers (but you conveniently overlook neglect of discipline/respect on the part of insolent underlings who in fact are a disgrace to the very heritage of Canada's Army ... hmmm ... I'm getting off track a tad ...), you also cast the Ombudsman in the role of a civilian, and portray him as corroding/civilianising ... ah, the heck with it - there are a couple of "red herrings" in here ...

An ombudsman is supposed to be a fair and impartial person, able to hear complaints without fear of rebuke or retaliation by "higher-ups/management/etc.", and deliver "sobre second thought" (e.g. many newspapers have an ombudsman who entertains complaints of bias/whatever against the editor/s - and, the editor is not supposed to be able to fire the ombudsman).   In a nutshell, "an honest broker".

So, returning to the theme of a CF Ombudsman ...
It's another offshoot of the Constitutional imperative "Justice must not only be done, but it must be seen to be done" - the buzzword everybody uses is "transparency".
Having an Ombudsman demonstrates that there is an additional "check and balance" against systemic mistakes - kinda like having an external auditor.
Does the Auditor-General corrode the authority of the federal Liberal party ooops the corrupt government ... ooops ... the senior levels of whatever?

Personally, I'd be much happier if we had a military Inspector-General with some teeth, who could receive and act upon "brown envelopes", correct some inefficiencies/deficiencies and let the rest of us get on with our work.

On a parallel theme, I'd also like to see the RCMP do our policing - then we wouldn't have to constantly jump through hoops to prove the Provost Marshal isn't just a corrupt stooge of the CDS, etc. ... but, I digress ...

The powers-that-be have blessed the CF with the office of an ombudsman - so be it.   If he rectifies even a small number of injustices, it's worth it - equally, if he shuts down a few posers/whiners, then we all benefit, too.

 

[S McKee]

Personally, I'd be much happier if we had a military Inspector-General with some teeth, who could receive and act upon "brown envelopes", correct some inefficiencies/deficiencies and let the rest of us get on with our work.

On a parallel theme, I'd also like to see the RCMP do our policing - then we wouldn't have to constantly jump through hoops to prove the Provost Marshal isn't just a corrupt stooge of the CDS, etc. ... but, I digress ...

Just cruising through the topic and I thought you were doing really well until POW! Now you got me going. I love you guys who think all would be a bed a roses if only the Mounties would do our policing. Please explain to me how, just how having a civilian organization; an organization who can barely police the areas that they are responsible for now, ( and who are no strangers to allegations of political scandal and interference)  would provide the police service that the CF wants? May be this should be another thread altogether.

 

[Edward Campbell]

Please explain to me how, just how having a civilian organization; an organization who can barely police the areas that they are responsible for now, ( and who are no strangers to allegations of political scandal and interference)  would provide the police service that the CF wants? May be this should be another thread altogether.

Agreed, and I have added some thoughts there, but: "... constantly jump through hoops to prove the Provost Marshal isn't just a corrupt stooge of the CDS ..." is, it seems to me, a valid point to make in this thread.

I find your reaction, Jumper, to a suggested change in the empire refreshingly normal - no one wants too much light shone in the dark corners of their patch lest they look up and find themselves reorganized right out of business.

 

[geo]

don't know if anyone else has seen this yet - newly released by the CF Ombudsman's office

http://www.ombudsman.forces.gc.ca/rep-rap/sr-rs/rc-str/index-eng.asp

 

[Yrys]

Sorry for the necro, but it's the same subject : article on Ombudsman saying (the person in the post has change)


Ombudsman says military must improve health care, benefits for reservists

OTTAWA - The Canadian Forces should improve health care and benefits for reserve soldiers, sailors and flyers and treat everyone the same, the military ombudsman
says.

In a strong report issued Thursday, Mary McFadyen says the Canadian Forces have different standards for regulars and reserves and that this is simply unfair."While reservists
are being called on more and more to fill the same roles as members of the regular force, when reservists need medical attention, they often find they are not treated the same
way as regular force members," the report said. It noted that one in five soldiers in the Afghan mission are reservists and that the reserves will also play a key role in security
for the 2010 Olympics.

McFadyen said the double standards are troubling. For example, she said, in cases of serious injury some reserve troops are only eligible for 40 per cent of the accidental
dismemberment payout available to others. She urged the Defence Department to change that. She also wants reserve soldiers to have equal access to health and dental care.

"In return for their commitment to train and serve their country, reservists rightfully expect to receive the best care possible when they are injured or become ill while on duty
or away from their home while performing military service." McFadyen said these problems have existed for decades, but the increased role of reservists in operations today
has made the problem worse.

Among the report's dozen recommendations is a call for the Canadian Forces to develop a clear, accessible and consistent framework laying out all its policies on health care
and benefits. That framework should also make it clear that in cases where issues of entitlement aren't clear, the soldier should get the benefit of the doubt.

 

[GAP]

André Marin left dysfunction and discontent as military ombud
Published On Wed Jun 02 2010
Article Link
David Bruser & Moira Welsh Staff Reporters

André Marin, in his previous job as Canadian military ombudsman, created a dysfunctional workplace rife with complaints and 150 staff departures from the small office during his tenure, a federal report says.

Marin, who has served as Ontario Ombudsman since 2005, was re-appointed for another five-year term yesterday.

The Toronto Star obtained a workplace assessment conducted by the Department of National Defence (DND) months after Marin left the job he had held for seven years.

The assessment shows Marin’s former workplace experienced some of the same problems as those who have worked and currently work in his downtown Toronto office.

In a section where some information was cut out for “privacy” reasons, the federal report said there were “damning comments (from federal staffers) about shortcomings in the office.”

Marin’s spokesperson Linda Williamson, who said the report never mentions Marin by name and was completed many months after he left the federal office, said it is not clear how the issues raised in the report apply to Marin. A government official told the Star the report is about Marin’s tenure.

“He made sure (the military ombudsman’s office) was fiercely independent,” Williamson said. “He completed 26 special reports. They were handling about 2,000 complaints a year. The Canadian Forces transformed the way it treats families of fallen soldiers because of him.”

The federal report, commissioned by Marin’s successor Yves Coté, and based on interviews with 46 staffers, found that staff expressed an “overwhelming relief . . . to see the new leadership take its place.”

The human resources department was a “failed” and “woefully inadequate” system that “may actually be contributing to inefficiency in the organization.” There was confusion surrounding job descriptions due to few standards or policies. “People have real difficulty not knowing what is expected of them in the workplace.”

The lack of standards is also a problem in Marin’s current job as ombudsman for the Ontario government. A half dozen current and former employees have told the Star that policies and standards were shelved when Marin took over and that staff no longer had rules to guide job performance. Some have said they were condemned for actions that others were applauded for. The sources say this lack of standards allowed managers to criticize and fire employees on a whim.
More on link

 

[dapaterson]

Apparently all was not well during Mr Marin's tenure as the DND/CF Ombudsman.  The Star is reporting on a rather dysfunctional organization.

http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/817766--andre-marin-left-dysfunction-and-discontent-as-military-ombud?bn=1

André Marin, in his previous job as Canadian military ombudsman, created a dysfunctional workplace rife with complaints and 150 staff departures from the small office during his tenure, a federal report says.

...

The human resources department was a “failed” and “woefully inadequate” system that “may actually be contributing to inefficiency in the organization.” There was confusion surrounding job descriptions due to few standards or policies. “People have real difficulty not knowing what is expected of them in the workplace.”

...

Under Marin’s leadership with the military ombudsman’s office, there was “little culture of assessment, accountability” and many felt they got little or no feedback on job performance, the report said.

Marin’s leadership style “appears to have been private, highly managed and guarded. So executive offices were locked, opportunities for meetings and structured feedback from staff were rare or non-existent.”

...

The mass exodus of federal staff — 150 during his tenure — in the “relatively small organization” was “far in excess of the sort of staff transition one should expect.” A review of the Defence Ombudsman’s annual reports from Marin’s tenure shows his organization staff levels ranged from only 14 people in his first year to 50 in his last.

 

[Legarty]

Former DND Ombudsman, Andre Marin is the current Ontario Ombudsman. He has been in this role for 2 terms (10 years) and is gunning for a 3rd. Much has been written about his time as Ontario Ombudsman: extravagant spending, human rights and labour complaints, bullying behaviour and lack of real results.

However, not much is know about his terms as DND Ombudsman, other than a few similar stories that appeared in the Toronto Star in 2010:

http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/2010/06/02/andr_marin_left_dysfunction_and_discontent_as_military_ombud.html

If you have anything share, you have a few options:

A reporter from a major newspaper is interviewing current and former employees, you can contact her at:  [email protected]

Warren Kinsella has an open thread on his blog to post anonymously:  http://warrenkinsella.com/2015/05/kid-kodak-open-thread/#comments

And you can help fill in the Wikipedia page:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andr%C3%A9_Marin

 

[Edward Campbell]

So, basically, you're muckraking, right?

 

[Legarty]

Not at all.  Looking to balance the story. He has written his own history while on the public purse. He has no oversight by any agency or official so public scrutiny is the only oversight available. Public money, public scrutiny.

 

[Loachman]

Looking to balance the story

Why? Are you a reporter?

 

[Jarnhamar]

A reporter from a major newspaper is interviewing current and former employees, you can contact her at:  [email protected]

That email address for a major newspaper reporter doesn't seem fishy at all.

 

[Loachman]

The OP's e-mail address on his/her profile is different, however, but, yes, I smell something, and it's not the cosmetics department.

 

[The Bread Guy]

That email address for a major newspaper reporter doesn't seem fishy at all.

Here's one more reference elsewhere to the OP's e-mail address posted in this thread, from a posting on a partisan commentary web page - no word on who the author of the specific piece in question is:

[UPDATE: I’ve moved this forward because of the comments – you have to read the comments.  And, hopefully, people at Queen’s Park read the comments, too.]

[ANOTHER UPDATE: I have heard from a very responsible and ethical National Post reporter, one I can vouch for.  She wants to hear from some of the folks who have been commenting on this post. What you have been revealing is newsworthy.  You can reach her at [email protected].]

To all long-suffering staff in the office of the “Ombudsman” Kid Kodak Marin: you can post here anonymously. No one will ever know your name, me included.

Comment, in particular, on the despotic reign of Andre Marin - lots of people at Queen’s Park come on this web site, many times a day. They will read what you write.  It will help ....

This isn't the only Marin article on the site in question - more here.

Care to share more with us, Legarty?  If you are a scribe of some sort, you may want to read this about how things are done here.

Anyone wanting to respond to this person, do your research, and caveat responder ....