A new mechanism for handling complaints and reports in the school environment comes into effect on Monday in Quebec with the appointment of the National Student Ombudsman.
Lawyer Jean-François Bernier has been appointed to this new position, which is independent and external to the school system. Bernier is a former vice-protecteur du citoyen and also chaired the Commission québécoise des libérations conditionnelles.
The National Student Ombudsman oversees a team of regional student ombudspeople whose mandate is to ensure that the rights of students and their parents are respected.
The National Student Ombudsman's mandate covers preschool, primary and secondary education, as well as homeschooling, vocational training and adult education.
Bernier was appointed National Student Ombudsman in June 2022 by the Quebec government. He has been given one year to lay the conceptual and administrative foundations of the new institution, to hire staff dedicated primarily to supporting the regional ombudspeople, and to develop an IT system for optimal processing of complaints and reports.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 28, 2023.
