ABSTRACT
Public participation is part of the planning process. A comparative study of environmental standards in Alberta, Ontario, Saskatchewan and British Columbia, together with federal provisions, concluded that in fact British Columbia was the only one of these jurisdictions to hold hearings on pollution standards. More generally this is seen as a technical process involving only government and industry. Policies have to be interpreted and given substance in the context of specific circumstances. Thus though there may be political agreement on a “policy plan,” there can be intense opposition to “policy-application”. The chapter focuses on a particular educational program for participators: A training program to enable the Saskatchewan environmental society to intervene effectively in the inquiry was initiated by the public interest advocacy center. The application of policy may involve fine matters of judgment for which an appeal procedure is appropriate. Maladministration falls within the scope of the ombudsman unless it involves legal issues which are the preserve of the courts.
