Law Commons^™

The Nova Scotia Ombudsman, T. J. Mcbride

Dalhousie Law Journal

Along with the dramatic rise of the welfare state, a concept of government generally accepted by most Canadians if not enthusiastically supported, has come a realization that the opportunities for individual grievances against government have multiplied. Each year ".... thousands of administrative decisions are made, many of them by minor officials, which affect the lives of every citizen. If some of these decisions are arbitrary or unjustified, there is no easy way for the ordinary citizen to gain redress" .' Rather belatedly, many governments have recognized that the existing machinery to protect the citizen against unfair administrative action is inadequate …