Gerald Peter McLellan (1932-2009) was an Ombudsman in the Province of Saskatchewan,Speers Funeral Chapel
Memorial Notice - Gerald Peter McLellan
Retrieved 2016-10-20. notable during his tenure for his report on the collapse of the

Principal Group The Principal Group was a group of interrelated Canadian financial companies that collapsed in 1987, resulting in losses to an estimated 67,000 people. Losses were in recovered in part through provincial governments paying compensation, based on ...

History

Gerald McLellan was born March 9, 1932, in the town of

Arcola, Saskatchewan Arcola is a town in south-east Saskatchewan, Canada, approximately north and east of Estevan. Highway 13, Highway 604, and Arcola Airport provide access to the community. Arcola served as the location for the Allan King film feature of W.O. ...

. Following completion of primary and secondary school in Arcola, McLellan attended the

University of Saskatchewan A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, ...

, where he obtained degrees in commerce and law. McLellan was in private practice for many years in

Estevan, Saskatchewan Estevan is the eighth-largest city in Saskatchewan, Canada. It is approximately north of the Canada–United States border. The Souris River runs by the city. This city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Estevan No. 5. History Th ...

, subsequent to a period as

in-house counsel A corporate lawyer or corporate counsel is a type of lawyer who specializes in corporate law. Corporate lawyers working inside and for corporations are called in-house counsel. Roles and responsibilities The role of a corporate lawyer is to ...

for Co-operators Insurance in Regina. He was an elected

Bencher A bencher or Master of the Bench is a senior member of an Inn of Court in England and Wales or the Inns of Court in Northern Ireland, or the Honorable Society of King's Inns in Ireland. Benchers hold office for life once elected. A bencher ca ...

of the

Law Society of Saskatchewan The Law Society of Saskatchewan is the governing body for lawyers in the Province of Saskatchewan, Canada. History The Law Society of Saskatchewan was established in 1907, by the ''Legal Professions Act'', following the establishment of the Prov ...

from 1976 to 1982, while practising in Estevan, during which time he was also elected as a Trustee of the Estevan Board of Education. In 1987, he was appointed by the Progressive Conservative government of Saskatchewan to the position of Ombudsman of Saskatchewan. He held the position he until 1993, under the New Democratic Party government of Saskatchewan, which had formed government following the 1991 provincial election. He was the third such appointee to the Office, which was established in 1973, and succeeded David A. Ticknell, who had served from 1977 to 1987. Ombudsman of Saskatchewan
Our History
Retrieved 2016-10-25. McLellan was in turn succeeded by Barbara J. Tomkins, who served from 1994 to 2004. In 1989, McLellan issued th
Special Report On The Regulation of FIC Ltd. and AIC Ltd. By The Saskatchewan Superintendent of Insurance (The Principal Investigation)''
in relation to the collapse of the

and the effect of such collapse on the estimated 5,000 Saskatchewan investors who lost money.Government Orders. Committee of Finance- Consolidated Fund Budgetary Expenditure
. Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan, April 11, 1990. Retrieved 2016-10-27. McLellan recommended a degree of government compensation to such investors, based on findings as to deficiencies in regulatory oversight. His conclusion was that there was "a moral imperative on the Government of Saskatchewan to offer appropriate compensation to the investment contract holders in this Province." The recommendation was ultimately followed, notwithstanding an earlier government position that no compensation would be paid, based on a view that the primary regulator, the Province of Alberta, should be responsible for paying compensation to all investors. Shortly following the release of McLellan's report, the Saskatchewan government publicly expressedPer Grant Schmidt, then Minister of Consumer and Commercial Affairs, 1989. As quoted by Lorne Calvert from a ''Globe and Mail'' article, November 11, 1989 that "Saskatchewan is willing to compensate its own residents... We are trying to negotiate this pooling problem with the province of Alberta, but we're prepared to help in our province.
Government Orders. Committee of Finance- Consolidated Fund Budgetary Expenditure
. Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan, April 11, 1990. Retrieved 2016-10-31. its inclination to follow the general recommendation to compensate investors, but then reversed itself, resulting in a class action by a number of such investors. Subsequent to the completion of his term as Ombudsman, McLellan remained in Regina, in retirement. He died of cancer in Regina, on January 5, 2009.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:McLellan, Gerald 1932 births 2009 deaths People from Arcola, Saskatchewan Ombudsmen in Canada