Provincial statutes in Canada provide for an official (i.e., Public Trustee, Public
Curator or Administrator of Estates) to act on behalf of certain individuals who are
confined to or on leave or probation from mental hospitals. These officials and their
deputies are appointed for an indefinite period of time and are empowered under provincial
law to act for the mentally incompetent person unless or until another guardian is
appointed or until final discharge of the person. The legal status of these guardians
under provincial law does not limit the authority of the Social Security Administration
to select the person best qualified to serve as representative payee; however, in
the usual case, the statutory guardian will be found to be best qualified.