Former Crown prosecutor recommended for new Sask. ombudsman

Saskatchewan is set to get a new ombudsman.

Sharon H. Pratchler has been recommended for the position, according to the speaker of the Legislative Assembly, who announced the news on behalf of the province's Board of Internal Economy.

Now the decision on her appointment will go to the Legislative Assembly.

Pratchler has been a member of the Law Society of Saskatchewan since 1993 and currently works as a senior Crown counsel in constitutional law for the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General.

She is also a member of the Canadian Bar Association, where she served as chair in 2015-2016, according to a news release from the office of the speaker of the Legislative Assembly.

After starting out in private practice, Pratchler has spent most of her career as a lawyer in public service, including serving as solicitor and Crown prosecutor, the release said.

Mary McFadyen was the previous ombudsman in Saskatchewan before she retired earlier this year.

Details of the roles

Pratchler's potential future position entails two roles currently held by Greg Sykes, the province's acting ombudsman and public interest disclosure commissioner. 

Residents who think they have been treated unfairly by a government ministry, agency board, health entity or Crown corporation can complain to the ombudsman.

The office also receives complaints about cities, towns or rural municipalities in Saskatchewan, according to its website.

The ombudsman's office does not deal with problem reports about:

• The federal government.

• Courts or decisions of cabinet.

• School boards.

• The RCMP.

• Band councils.

• Private companies.

• Banks.

The second role of the ombudsman is as the public interest disclosure commissioner.

In this capacity they receive disclosures of workplace wrongdoings reported by public sector employees.

The goal is to protect public servants from reprisals if they make a disclosure of malpractice or look for advice, the ombudsman website says.