Designed as a deeper learning experience for all professionals, certificates are intensive, practice-based programs taught by faculty with real-world experience.
Advanced Issues in Ombuds Practice
Program Directors
Sandy Hermiston
Ombudsperson & Public Interest Disclosure Commissioner, PEI
Nadine Mailloux
Ombudsperson, Ville de Montréal
Eligible for
For the more experienced Ombuds professional, this advanced certificate will explore and analyze some of the most challenging problems confronting today’s Ombuds.
Created by the developers of the highly successful Osgoode/FCO Certificate – Essentials for Ombuds, this intensive training collaboration between the Forum of Canadian Ombudsman and Osgoode Professional Development (part of Osgoode Hall Law School) will ensure that you’re able to confidently address and resolve some of the more complex situations.
You will learn from a truly exceptional faculty of leading experts. This program will focus on practical, real world situations and provide ample opportunity for hands-on learning, questions and class discussion. Whether it’s examining the elements of a major investigation or assessing how to effectively lead your Ombuds office, the faculty will ensure you leave with tactics and solutions to overcome these often vexing situations.
Please Note: This program will NOT be recorded. All modules must be viewed live.
What You’ll Learn
You will get practical tips and strategies in areas including:
Investigations: conducting, funding, monitoring, reactions, results and recommendations
Interacting with the media and addressing the perils that can arise from “fake news”
Using various forms of media to build higher visibility and produce more persuasive and accurate content
Managing perceptions as it relates to how the Ombuds role is perceived, supported and/or undermined by “insiders”
Creating an inclusive working environment for Ombuds staff that are receptive to and supportive of a wide diversity of points of view, backgrounds, differences of all kinds
Delivering high quality and innovative service in early resolution and investigative work on a day-to-day basis and evaluate performance
Who Should Attend
While no prerequisite is required to register in this Certificate program, we do recommend that attendees have completed The Osgoode/FCO Certificate – Essentials for Ombuds OR have at least five years of experience in one of the following roles:
Ombuds (working in legislated roles or in public and private sector organizations or associations established by policy, Charter, Order-in-Council, etc.)
Assistant/Deputy Ombuds, and Directors in Ombuds offices
Senior leaders of Investigative bodies or Dispute Resolution Offices
Senior investigators in an Ombuds context
Legal or other specialized counsel to Ombuds offices
Commissioners, Members of Board of Inquiry
Faculty
Program Directors
Sandy Hermiston
Ombudsperson & Public Interest Disclosure Commissioner, PEI
Nadine Mailloux
Ombudsperson, Ville de Montréal
Past Instructors
Kwame Addo
Ombudsman, City of Toronto
Sir Rob Behrens
CBE, Formerly Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, United Kingdom
Jay Chalke
Ombudsperson, Province of British Columbia
Sandy Hermiston
Ombudsperson & Public Interest Disclosure Commissioner, PEI
Nadine Mailloux
Ombudsperson, Ville de Montréal
Bradley Moss
The Citizens’ Representative, Province of Newfoundland and Labrador
Charles Murray
Integrity Commissioner, Province of New Brunswick
The Honourable Raymonde Saint-Germain
Senate of Canada
Zoë Jackson
Director, Public Reporting, Policy and Knowledge Management, Office of the Ombudsperson, Province of British Columbia
Mark Wright
Director Communications and Stakeholder Relations Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI)
Nora Farrell
former Co-Program Director, Ph.D., LL.M. (Osgoode), M.Ed.
“This certificate program came to be as a result of Ombuds from many different sectors asking for a professional development curriculum that addressed the complex issues and dilemmas that Ombuds and senior staff grapple with, often on a daily basis. As the role of the Ombuds is unique in nature and practice, within the field of dispute resolution, this program is customized to address the kinds of challenges inherent in a structurally independent, impartial, confidential and fairness-seeking entity. In addition, the program has been designed to provide for in-depth interaction with peers from many different geographical regions and Ombuds’ Offices. I am very pleased to say that the excellent partnership between the Forum of Canadian Ombudsman and Osgoode Professional Development has provided for the ideal platform for creating and maintaining this purpose-built program.”
Agenda
Please Note
The information below is from the 2025 iteration of this certificate. A detailed agenda for the upcoming program will be available soon.
Leading Your Ombuds Office
Strategies for maintaining an enthusiastic, productive and highly trained staff group, both those new to Ombuds work and those with significant experience
Best practices on how to deliver high quality and innovative service in early resolution and investigative work on a day-to-day basis and evaluate performance
Exploration of effective recruitment and retention strategies
Learning from other Ombuds Offices
Exploring the evolution of Ombuds organizations world-wide and challenges faced by newly established and mature Ombuds roles both in stable ad tumultuous jurisdictions for Canadian Ombuds
Discussion of lessons to be learned and pitfalls to be planned for and avoided
Strategies for Interacting with the Media
Strategies for Ombuds on how to interact with the media to ensure that conclusions, recommendations and reports are represented accurately and how to address the perils that can arise from “fake news”.
Tips on how to use various forms of media to build higher visibility and produce more persuasive and accurate content.
“What I know now that I wish I knew much earlier in my career” Ombuds with years of experience will reflect on their greatest successes and worst experiences while explaining what they would do differently today given the benefit of hindsight and a more varied experience
Major Investigations
Using a case study, you will conduct an in-depth review of a complex, high profile investigation and take-away lessons applicable to major investigations, including:
Determining whether to investigate and addressing legislator involvement
How the investigation would be funded and the resources allocated
Team structure and organization
Managing terabytes of records
Publicly funded legal representation and litigation issues
Obtaining, using and disclosing privileged information
Ensuring own administrative fairness
Approaches to findings and recommendations
Planning an effective public release
Respondents’ and community reaction
Obtaining commitments from government and monitoring the implementation of recommendations
Q & A with The Honourable Raymonde Saint-Germain
An interactive discussion on best practices and strategies with The Hon. Raymonde Saint-Germain. As an experienced public administrator, she has served in several senior multidisciplinary positions at the national and international levels, including as Québec Ombudsperson, Deputy Minister of Government Services, Deputy Minister of Relations with Citizens and Immigration, Assistant Deputy Minister of International Relations, and Quebec Official Publisher.
Please Note: The Modules offered on April 7, 8, 14 & 15 are online only and the Modules offered on April 21-22 are in-person only.
$2,995 + TAX
Time
April 7, 2026
12:30 p.m – 4:00 p.m (ET)
April 8, 2026
12:30 p.m – 4:00 p.m (ET)
April 14, 2026
10:00 a.m – 1:30 p.m (ET)
April 15, 2026
12:30 p.m – 4:00 p.m (ET)
April 21, 2026
9:00 a.m – 4:30 p.m (ET)
April 22, 2026
9:00 a.m – 4:30 p.m (ET)
Substitution of registrants is permitted at any time. If you are unable to find a substitute, a full refund is available if a cancellation request is received in writing 21 days prior to the program date. If a cancellation request is made with less than 30 days notice, a $150.00 administration fee will apply. No other refund is available.
We will make every effort to present the program as advertised, but it may be necessary to change the date, location, speakers or content with little or no notice. In the event of program cancellation, York University’s and Osgoode Hall Law School’s liability is limited to reimbursement of paid fees.
As law evolves, we know how important it is to stay up to date. We also understand the financial implications of continuously upgrading your professional skills and knowledge. For more information on available options, including Job Grants, OSAP, please visit:
To receive the Osgoode/FCO Certificate, you must attend all modules (which are either online-only or in-person only) and successfully complete an online assessment within 30 days of the final module.
Norm Bosse
Child, Youth and Senior Advocate, New Brunswick
“The faculty were all extremely experienced and qualified and they were all very receptive to engaging the course participants for their questions and comments.”
CPD and Accreditation
Please Note
The hours below are for the 2025 iteration of the program and should be used as an estimate only. Confirmed hours will be available soon.
OsgoodePD is an accredited provider with the LSO, the Law Society of BC and NY CLE Board. Select your location to view the eligible hours you may claim.
A scheduled replay of a past program, with the ability to submit questions.
2 Days
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Labour and Employment Law
Application Open
Students typically complete the LLM in two years (6 terms).
Do you have an LLB/JD? Consider taking a single LLM course for deeper learning in a specific area of practice – all credits will apply towards a Professional LLM.
Unfortunately, no. Effective for all 2019 filings and subsequent years moving forward, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has replaced T2202A’s with the T2202. Under the new CRA definition and criteria, our CLE short courses and certificate programs do not meet the definition of ‘qualifying educational program’. For this reason, we are unable to issue you a T2202. For more information, please visit the CRA site.
Program pages and brochures will include specific information including key dates, or see our Refunds & Cancellation Policies page.
Once a program reaches capacity, a waitlist will be created. This does not guarantee your registration in the program; however, it places you on a priority contact list. If any spots become available, you may be notified by email or phone to confirm if you would like to proceed with the registration. Once contacted, you will typically be given 24 hours to confirm your interest. If you do not confirm interest within the provided timeframe, you will be removed from the waitlist and the next person will be contacted.
A selection of our Certificates are eligible for OSAP funding.
Please note the following exceptions that may affect OSAP funding eligibility for our certificates:
Students receiving Second Career funding for a micro-credential during their study period are ineligible;
Although grants will not be converted to loans, a grant may become repayable if a student withdraws, is determined to be overpaid in grant funding, or income cannot be verified within one year;
A student cannot receive OSAP for micro-credential assistance for their study period if it overlaps with another micro-credential study period in which they are concurrently receiving OSAP for micro-credential funding. However, students may overlap their micro-credential study period with a study period that is part of a different full- or part-time program that they are concurrently receiving funding for through Full-Time OSAP or Part-Time OSAP, provided that OSAP funding was not assessed for the micro-credential course(s) through a Full-Time or Part-Time OSAP application.
NOTE: In order to obtain access to the program, full payment is required at least 1 business day prior to the first module of the program.
Job Grants
The Canada-Ontario Job grant may be applicable to employers seeking to train their staff. To find out if your organization is eligible for the grant and the program you wish to enrol in qualifies, visit: The MTCU Canada-Ontario Job Grant page
Many of our programs include 120-day unlimited, online access to view the recorded program. See the program page or brochure to find out if the program you’re interested in includes this access. If you need more time to view the content, or have questions about the access, please email: OPDSupport@osgoode.yorku.ca.
Our programs are typically offered once annually, around the same time each year; however, there are a few exceptions where certain programs are offered multiple times throughout the year (i.e. The Certificate in Adjudication). To receive updates on all our new and upcoming program offerings, please click here to subscribe to our email list.
If the program includes access to the recording, you will have unlimited online access to the recorded content for 120-days from the end date of the program.
Access is only for the registered delegate. In the event of misuse, access can be revoked.
CPD hours for each program can be found on the program web page and program brochure. For questions regarding CPD hours, please email cpd@osgoode.yorku.ca
A limited amount of financial assistance is available for OsgoodePD Programs unless specific bursary information appears on the program page/program brochure. Head to our Financial Assistance page for more information.
Yes. We do offer group rates on our programs. Please visit our group rate page for more information. Some exceptions apply, and rates are subject to change.
Our Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programs, ranging from one-hour briefings to more intensive certificate programs, are for all professionals. There are no general prerequisites for these programs; however, individual programs often have specific requirements to register. These are noted on individual program pages and .pdf brochures.
