Procedural Fairness

A fair process helps you understand the case and respond meaningfully

Procedural fairness is a contextual duty. What fairness requires depends on the decision, the process, and how seriously it may affect you.

Quick fairness check

• Notice: Were you told what decision was being considered and what you needed to answer?

• Disclosure: Were you given the relevant information, evidence, and policy relied on?

• Opportunity to respond: Did you have enough time and a meaningful chance to provide your information and point of view?

• Unbiased decision-maker: Was the decision made neutrally, without a reasonable concern about bias?

• Reasons: Do the reasons explain the result and connect the facts to the applicable law, regulation, or policy?

• Timeliness: Did delay interfere with your ability to participate or provide evidence?

Before you respond

1. Ask for the proposed decision, allegations, supporting material, and applicable authority in writing.

2. Confirm the response deadline and ask promptly if you reasonably need more time.

3. Identify missing documents, factual errors, or information that needs context.

4. Respond clearly: issue, facts, evidence, policy, requested outcome.

5. Keep the notice, your response, attachments, proof of delivery, and final reasons together.

If you think the process was unfair

Raise the concern promptly and specifically. State what was missing, how it affected your ability to participate, and what would make the process fair. Depending on the matter, a grievance or another complaint process may be available.

Important: Not every protection applies in exactly the same way to every decision. This page provides general information, not legal advice or representation.

Official sources

• National Defence and Canadian Forces Ombud: Principles of procedural fairness

• Canadian Armed Forces Grievance Policy