Yukon Ombudsman marks Ombuds Day by sharing information on vaccine credentials and fairness

Thu, Oct 14, 2021

WHITEHORSE – The Yukon Ombudsman, Diane McLeod-McKay, is joining her colleagues across Canada and internationally to mark Ombuds Day today. McLeod-McKay is taking this opportunity to raise awareness of work that Ombuds in Canada have done to assist governments and other public service providers in ensuring fairness is top of mind when developing and implementing credential systems for COVID-19 vaccines.

“Earlier this year, I and my colleagues across the country developed guidance intended to help public authorities with decision-making on implementation and use of vaccine credentials,” said McLeod-McKay. “We issued the guidance in May and worked to ensure that governments and public service providers were aware of this resource. It sets out ten fairness principles, focusing on such matters as clear direction from government through law or policy, regular review of the law or policy, and clear communications about the use of a vaccine credential system by public authorities, as well as other issues to consider.”

Prior to the pandemic, five Ombuds offices in Canada, including the Yukon, had developed a document called Fairness by Design, which assists public officials with incorporating fairness into the design of programs and services to ensure they are delivered in a fair manner. This is also a useful tool when developing new programs and services during the pandemic.

McLeod-McKay wrote an op-ed for Yukon newspapers, outlining information about the guidance on vaccine credential systems. It will be published in l’aurore boreale today and in the Yukon News and Whitehorse Star tomorrow, October 15th. It can also be read on our website here.

The Yukon Ombudsman looks into complaints from citizens who feel they have been treated unfairly in the delivery of services by the Yukon government and other public authorities. These complaints may be about such things as delays in receiving a government decision, not being given the opportunity to provide input to a government decision, barriers to accessing a service and many other issues. Public authorities subject to the jurisdiction of the Ombudsman include Yukon government departments, schools, Yukon University, hospitals, crown corporations and more.

Yukoners are encouraged to become familiar with the role of the Yukon Ombudsman and to make use of the office’s services as needed. Staff at the office are available to answer any questions Yukoners may have about their work.

The Ombudsman, Information and Privacy Commissioner, and Public Interest Disclosure Commissioner is an independent officer of the Yukon Legislative Assembly. For more information, please go to www.yukonombudsman.ca.

To download a PDF of this news release, click here.

Contact:

Elaine Schiman 
Communications Manager
Office of the Yukon Ombudsman, Information and Privacy Commissioner & Public Interest Disclosure Commissioner                  
elaine.schiman@yukonombudsman.ca
867-332-4555
867-334-2975
www.yukonombudsman.ca

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