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The Province
28-05-2025
- Politics
- The Province
B.C. Ombudsperson Jay Chalke announces 2026 retirement after 10 years on the job
Chalke oversaw the implementation of new responsibilities under B.C.'s Public Interest Disclosure Act, which provides secure channels for public employees to report serious workplace wrongdoing Published May 27, 2025 • Last updated 7 hours ago • 1 minute read Ombudsperson Jay Chalke in 2017 Photo by DARREN STONE / TIMES COLONIST / PNG B.C.'s longest-serving ombudsperson has announced he will retire from his role in early 2026. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Jay Chalke has been in the role for a decade and oversaw the implementation of new responsibilities under B.C.'s Public Interest Disclosure Act, which provides secure channels for public employees to report serious workplace wrongdoing. He says in a news release that he didn't make the decision lightly, and serving as B.C.'s ombudsperson has been 'the honour' of his career. He says he is 'deeply proud' of the work he has accomplished, but he believes it's time for 'new perspectives and fresh leadership to continue (the) important work in ensuring fairness in public administration.' In the release, Chalke's office called him a steadfast advocate for fairness and accountability. It says the process to appoint a new ombudsperson will be led by the legislature and will begin soon to ensure a smooth transition. 'I am grateful to the dedicated team at the Office of the Ombudsperson and to the people of British Columbia for the trust they have placed in me,' Chalke says in the release. 'I look forward to supporting the transition and watching this office continue to make a difference.' News Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks Hockey News
Vancouver Sun
27-05-2025
- Business
- Vancouver Sun
B.C. Ombudsperson Jay Chalke announces 2026 retirement after 10 years on the job
VICTORIA — B.C.'s longest-serving ombudsperson has announced he will retire from his role in early 2026. Jay Chalke has been in the role for a decade and oversaw the implementation of new responsibilities under B.C.'s Public Interest Disclosure Act, which provides secure channels for public employees to report serious workplace wrongdoing. He says in a news release that he didn't make the decision lightly, and serving as B.C.'s Ombudsperson has been 'the honour' of his career. He says he is 'deeply proud' of the work he has accomplished, but he believes it's time for 'new perspectives and fresh leadership to continue (the) important work in ensuring fairness in public administration.' Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. In the release, Chalke's office called him a steadfast advocate for fairness and accountability. It says the process to appoint a new ombudsperson will be led by the legislature and will begin soon to ensure a smooth transition. 'I am grateful to the dedicated team at the Office of the Ombudsperson and to the people of British Columbia for the trust they have placed in me,' Chalke says in the release. 'I look forward to supporting the transition and watching this office continue to make a difference.'
Toronto Star
27-05-2025
- Business
- Toronto Star
B.C. Ombudsperson Jay Chalke announces 2026 retirement after 10 years on the job
VICTORIA - British Columbia's longest-serving ombudsperson has announced he will retire from his role in early 2026. Jay Chalke has been in the role for a decade and oversaw the implementation of new responsibilities under B.C.'s Public Interest Disclosure Act, which provides secure channels for public employees to report serious workplace wrongdoing.
Winnipeg Free Press
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
B.C. Ombudsperson Jay Chalke announces 2026 retirement after 10 years on the job
VICTORIA – British Columbia's longest-serving ombudsperson has announced he will retire from his role in early 2026. Jay Chalke has been in the role for a decade and oversaw the implementation of new responsibilities under B.C.'s Public Interest Disclosure Act, which provides secure channels for public employees to report serious workplace wrongdoing. He says in a news release that he didn't make the decision lightly, and serving as B.C.'s Ombudsperson has been 'the honour' of his career. He says he is 'deeply proud' of the work he has accomplished, but he believes it's time for 'new perspectives and fresh leadership to continue (the) important work in ensuring fairness in public administration.' In the release, Chalke's office called him a steadfast advocate for fairness and accountability. It says the process to appoint a new ombudsperson will be led by the legislature and will begin soon to ensure a smooth transition. 'I am grateful to the dedicated team at the Office of the Ombudsperson and to the people of British Columbia for the trust they have placed in me,' Chalke says in the release. 'I look forward to supporting the transition and watching this office continue to make a difference.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 27, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
University of Winnipeg employee calls for investigation into leadership under whistleblower law
A University of Winnipeg employee has filed a whistleblower report that calls for a probe into overall operations at the post-secondary institution amid mounting concerns about its leadership. The Free Press obtained a six-page submission to the Manitoba ombudsman about the publicly funded institution under president Todd Mondor. It echoes concerns on campus about employee turnover, transparency about recent cost-cutting measures and new rules that censor protests and other activities at U of W. The complaint was filed late last month. The ombudsman is assessing whether it requires further investigation. 'It might be unusual to have a whistleblower complaint, but that may be more reflective of the person who filed it rather than the culture at the U of W,' Mondor told the Free Press Monday in a rare interview. SUPPLIED Manitoba's whistleblower protection legislation facilitates the disclosure and investigation of significant and serious wrongdoing within public bodies. It was created to protect employees who have evidence of unethical or illegal activities. U of W's president defended his track record over the last three years — his five-year term began in April 2022 — at the helm of the school, saying he's tried to be as transparent and collaborative as possible. Mondor said that ethos is why he has organized seven town halls during his tenure and made it well known the university is projecting a significant deficit for 2025-2026. Senior administration has primarily attributed the financial crunch to an unfair provincial funding formula and a drop in first-year international student enrolment. Mondor said the number of new international students this year dropped by 10 per cent compared to 2023-2024. Manitoba's Public Interest Disclosure (Whistleblower Protection) Act Provincial legislation was first introduced in 2007 to protect bureaucrats and employees at other public institutions from retaliation if they step forward with information about serious wrongdoing inside the public service. Employees must submit a form that identifies the type of alleged wrongdoing, a description of it and the names of those responsible. Following an initial assessment, the ombudsman can decline or launch an investigation, facilitate a resolution or refer a case to an institution's Public Interest Disclosure Act designated officer or the auditor general. While he said that percentage is expected to triple next year, he did not have a rough estimate of how much U of W expects to be in the red in a year's time. Public meeting minutes show he has told senate the shortfall could be between $4 million and $18 million. The administration has announced numerous reductions to find cost savings. Since the fall, they have included a hiring freeze, reduced discretionary spending and cancelling both an English-language program and the 2025 women's soccer season. The university has not revealed how much each measure has saved, but it did not end the recent fiscal year with a deficit. The whistleblower is calling for an investigation into spending on external consultants and management positions. U of W recently contracted Higher Education Strategy Associates, a Toronto-based consulting firm, to study Manitoba's funding model for post-secondary education, conduct a campus space audit and develop its new strategic plan. Mondor's administration has also hired Show and Tell Agency, a marketing firm headquartered in the Exchange District, to create a brand strategy. 'A university that is financially challenged should be very careful about which consultants it hires for anything — for strategic plans and, certainly, for branding exercises,' said Peter Miller, president of the faculty association, echoing the whistleblower's concerns about frivolous spending. Miller said morale among his members is low and budget pressures are only one contributing factor. There has been a 'fundamental shift' in how his employer of nearly a decade operates, said the associate professor and chair of the classics department. 'Faculty are being consulted less and are playing a less-central role in the governance of the institution,' he said. One example is the administration updating a policy on accessing buildings and posting it online without consulting academics who are contractually entitled to have input on changes to their workplace, Miller noted. The changes require outdoor event organizers to obtain explicit pre-approval from the administration and ban visitors outside regular school hours 'unless authorized by security.' The updated policy explicitly prohibits camping on university grounds. Those updates, as well as the drafting of an entirely new convocation policy that polices attire and activities, appear to respond to a recent wave of pro-Palestinian protests at universities in Winnipeg and across the country. 'I understand it's tough to be an administrator. I wouldn't want to do it, but I think they really need to consider what kind of university culture they want to manifest and to nurture.'–Kelly Gorkoff, associate professor and chair of the UofW criminal justice department Protesters set up encampments both at the U of W and University of Manitoba, Mondor's previous employer, last spring. A medical school valedictorian at the U of M made headlines after he urged fellow graduates to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. Kelly Gorkoff, a researcher who has worked at U of W for 18 years, said a lot of her colleagues are concerned about the state of transparency and 'the direction of the university.' 'I understand it's tough to be an administrator. I wouldn't want to do it, but I think they really need to consider what kind of university culture they want to manifest and to nurture. Universities have always been places of freedom of thinking, freedom of debate,' said the associate professor and chair of the criminal justice department. Gorkoff said there is a disconnect between U of W leadership's concerns about the suppression of academic freedom south of the border and its actions. As far as Miller is concerned, convocation is an extension of what happens in the classroom, so it should be a place for debate, discussion and dissent. He called it striking that U of W administration has written a graduation policy that would bar an attendee from holding up a sign that says 'land back' or wearing a keffiyeh, a black-and-white headdress that is a symbol of the Palestinian liberation movement. Asked about community concerns related to policy-making, Mondor said the university is formalizing existing practices and takes faculty input into consideration. While indicating he is not leading the convocation policy process, the president said, 'We don't want to suppress anyone's individual right to do whatever the heck they want.' 'That's why it's not live,' he said, adding the draft may not be approved and not go into effect, after all. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Mondor was asked for but did not provide the total cost of recent external contracts. He did, however, defend them as one-off expenses that drew on administrative budgets. U of W originally planned a public budget town hall this month. The university now plans to table its fiscal blueprint in early June. The Manitoba government did not directly respond to a question about whether it was aware of a whistleblower report involving the school. 'The ombudsman is the appropriate channel to deal with and investigate these matters,' a spokesperson for the department of advanced education said in a statement. The ombudsman's office indicated it cannot discuss specific inquiries or disclosures as they are treated confidentially. The time it takes to assess disclosures and conduct investigations varies based on available information and the volume of inquiries, said Amie Lesyk, communications officer for the ombudsman. Jill Perron has been Manitoba's ombudsman since 2019. Lesyk said the ombudsman receives an average of 25 whistleblower disclosures under Manitoba's Public Interest Disclosure (Whistleblower Protection) Act annually. A report on 2023-2024 activity shows 23 disclosures of wrongdoing were submitted; 16 of them, two of which were acted on, were closed. Maggie MacintoshEducation reporter Maggie Macintosh reports on education for the Free Press. Originally from Hamilton, Ont., she first reported for the Free Press in 2017. Read more about Maggie. Funding for the Free Press education reporter comes from the Government of Canada through the Local Journalism Initiative. Every piece of reporting Maggie produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. 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