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Adult Guardianship and Adult Protection Legislation in Canada: Recent Reforms and Future Problems

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

Robert M. Gordon
Robert M. Gordon
Affiliation:
Simon Fraser University
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Abstract

The recent introduction of new adult guardianship legislation in British Columbia, Ontario, Manitoba and the Northwest Territories signals the arrival of the third wave of guardianship law reform in Canada since the mid 1970s. The first wave appeared in Alberta in the form of the Dependent Adults Act which was replicated, in part, in Saskatchewan. The second wave affected only the Atlantic provinces and consisted of new adult protection legislation aimed primarily (but not solely) at cases of elder abuse or neglect. The third wave of reform involves, amongst other things, the enactment of omnibus adult guardianship statutes that include adult protection provisions. Some potential problems are examined including an untenable fusion of guardianship and protection procedures; an excessive reliance upon potentially expensive and fiscally vulnerable advocacy services; and an increase in abuse and neglect as a result of the removal of various “paternalistic” safeguards.

Résumé

L'adoption récente de nouvelles lois régissant la tutelle des adultes en Colombie-Britannique, en Ontario, au Manitoba et dans les Territoires du Nord-Ouest signale l'arrivée de la troisième vague de réforme des lois de tutelle au Canada depuis le milieu des années 70. La première vague est venue d'Alberta sous la forme de la Loi sur les adultes dépendants, laquelle fut en partie appliquée en Saskatchewan. La deuxième vague n'a touché que les Maritimes et a pris la forme d'une nouvelle loi pour la protection des adultes visant principalement (mais non uniquement) les cas d'abus ou de mauvais traitement faits aux personnes âgées. La troisième vague de réformes implique, entre autres, l'adoption des statute de tutelle des adultes à usage multiple incluant des dispositions pour la protection des adultes. Cet article examine certains des problèmes pouvant surgir, notamment de la fusion intenable de la tutelle et des mesures de protection, d'une dépendence excessive des services de represéntation qui sont vulnérables sur le plan fiscal et pouvant être très coûteux, ainsi que d'un accroissement de cas d'abus et de mauvais traitements découlant du retrait des diverses sauvegardes «paternalistes».

Keywords

Adult Guardianship LawsAdult Protection LawsSubstitute Decision-MakingAdvocacy.Lois de tutelle des adulteslois pour la protection des adultesprise de décisions de subrogationreprésentation.
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 14 , supplement S2 , Été/Summer 1995 , pp. 89 - 102
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 1995

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