Fairness Commissioner

The Fairness Commissioner is independent of FP Canada and provides an external point of escalation for complaints in respect of FP Canada’s processes that are not addressed to the satisfaction of the Complainant by FP Canada staff.

This role, like an ombudsperson, provides an impartial and unbiased third-party review of an FP Canada process followed in reaching the decision that led to the complaint.

Fairness Commissioner

Pat Macdonald, ICD.D

Filing a complaint with the Fairness Commissioner

Step 1: Submit your complaint to FP Canada

The Fairness Commissioner is the final point of escalation. Before filing a complaint with the Fairness Commissioner, you must first submit your complaint to FP Canada as follows:

Once you submit a complaint, an FP Canada staff member will contact you and work with you to resolve the complaint. If a resolution cannot be reached, staff will guide you through the escalation path. If you are still not satisfied with the suggested resolution, you may submit a complaint to the Fairness Commissioner. The Fairness Commissioner will only review complaints that have followed the appropriate escalation process.

Step 2: File your complaint with the Fairness Commissioner

To file a complaint with the Fairness Commissioner, you must demonstrate that:

• the staff who conducted the review of the complaint had a conflict of interest
• the appropriate procedures were not followed in the review
• staff failed to consider all relevant evidence
• staff interpretation of an existing policy or procedure was unfairly limited
• systemic unfairness exists in the applied policies or procedures themselves

Where one of these grounds is identified, it will be considered a legitimate complaint for review by the Fairness Commissioner. The Fairness Commissioner retains the ultimate discretion to refuse to review or investigate a complaint if, for example, it is being pursued by the Complainant in a frivolous, vexatious or threatening manner.

The complaint must be submitted within six months of receipt of the final decision from FP Canada. The Fairness Commissioner may decline to review a complaint where the Complainant was advised of FP Canada’s final position with respect to the concerns raised, more than six months prior to filing the complaint with the Fairness Commissioner.

You may submit your complaint to the Fairness Commissioner at fairnesscommissioner@fpcanada.ca. 

Complaints will not be accepted over the phone. Questions regarding the escalation or review process may be directed to FP Canada’s Corporate Secretary at 416-593-8587 or 1-800-305-9886, ext. 223.

Investigation

Upon receipt of a complaint, the Fairness Commissioner will acknowledge receipt and commence an Investigation. Every reasonable effort will be made to arrive at a final recommendation within 90 days from the date on which the complaint was received by the Fairness Commissioner. However, as every case is unique, the time required for a full and fair review will vary.

Confidentiality and consents

With the exception of disclosure of receipt of a complaint to FP Canada, all complaints are kept confidential. The Fairness Commissioner can only investigate a complaint once all appropriate consents to the release of confidential information have been received from all relevant parties. Anonymous complaints will not be investigated.

Outcome of the investigation

Following the Investigation, the Fairness Commissioner will provide a written report to the Complainant and FP Canada. The report will include a summary of the pertinent facts, and the Fairness Commissioner’s findings and recommendations, with supporting rationale. The Fairness Commissioner’s recommendation is not binding on the Complainant or on FP Canada; however, there is an expectation that FP Canada staff shall make efforts to implement any recommendations. The Fairness Commissioner is the final point of escalation for a complaint.