ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the notion of public interest for government lawyers in the Canadian context in relation to the role of Attorney General. The attributes of public interest relevant to the government lawyer in the Canadian context can be drawn from the democratic framework in which the Attorney General carries out his responsibilities. The public interest concept highlights the need for government lawyers to look beyond the immediate needs of one interest group, one individual or organisation to the public good. In summary, Canadian law currently recognises no general over riding public interest in the disclosure of legal advice provided to government by its legal advisers similar to what occurred in Britain and the United States. Canadian public sector lawyers may have felt uncomfortable at times with the mainstream legal profession and how it was structured and regulated, but there has not been any pressing need to discuss it publicly so there has been very little academic literature on point.
