Opinion: Albertans need the office of Ombudsman now as much ever

Back in the 1990s, I dropped in on a senior Alberta civil servant intending on an informal chit-chat. It pays to maintain positive rapport with frequent contacts. On this occasion, he wasn’t eager to see me. Smoke emanated from the official’s desk. Only months earlier the provincial government forbade civil servants from smoking in enclosed offices. Seeing an Ombudsman investigator approaching, he slammed his ashtray and cigarette into his top drawer. When caught, we both laughed. I