Department of Justice Canada Minister's Transition Book
Federal-Provincial-Territorial Justice Relations
Justice FPT Environment
The meeting of Federal-Provincial-Territorial (FPT) Ministers Responsible for Justice and Public Safety is an environment where ministers and deputy ministers work collaboratively on issues that address the concerns of Canadian citizens. There is a long-standing tradition of working cooperatively to meet the needs of all jurisdictions. The forum is attended by federal, provincial and territorial ministers of Justice, Public Safety and Corrections, attorneys general, and those having responsibilities for youth justice.
Annual Meeting of FPT Ministers Responsible for Justice and Public Safety
This meeting, held annually (usually in October), allows ministers to discuss justice and public safety issues and priorities requiring their direction or decision. The last FPT Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Justice and Public Safety took place on October 15 and 16, 2014, in Banff. The next meeting is scheduled to take place in early 2016, in Québec City (Québec).
The Minister of Justice co-chairs the meeting with the Minister of Public Safety and the Minister of the province or territory where the meeting is held.
Key topics discussed in the last several ministerial meetings include criminal justice reform, access to justice, cumulative impact of justice reforms, youth justice, legal aid and related funding issues, drug issues, cyber-crime, impaired driving, organized crime and mental health.
Bilateral meetings with Ministers
The Minister of Justice meets individually with the provincial and territorial ministers of justice and attorneys general as needed. These meetings are usually at the request of the provincial/territorial minister.
Bi-annual Meeting of FPT Deputy Ministers Responsible for Justice and Public Safety
There are meetings twice a year as well as conference calls at the deputy minister-level to discuss emerging and continuing issues, to review trends and to develop new strategies and approaches.
The last meeting of Deputy Ministers Responsible for Justice and Public Safety was held on June 10, 2015, in Winnipeg (Manitoba). The next meeting is scheduled to take place in June 2016.
FPT Structures
Regular meetings at the officials-level support the development of options for deputy minister and ministerial consideration.
Discussions between federal, provincial and territorial governments occur in a variety of structures, including both continuing and time- limited committees. Examples of continuing committees are:
- the Coordinating Committees of Senior Officials (CCSO), Criminal Justice;
- the CCSO, Youth Justice;
- the CCSO, Family;
- the FPT Working Group on Victim Issues;
- the Liaison Officers Committee of the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics; and
- the FPT Permanent Working Group on Legal Aid (PWG).
Some of these committees have sub-committees, usually referred to as working groups. Working groups may be established by deputy ministers or at the suggestion of ministers. Mandates of all working groups and CCSOs are approved by FPT deputy ministers.
| Government | Department or Ministry | Minister | Deputy Minister |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | Justice and Attorney General | William F Pentney, Q.C. | |
| Public Prosecution Service of Canada | Brian Saunders (Director of Public Prosecution) | ||
| Public Safety | François Guimont | ||
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Justice and Public Safety | Darin King | Paul Noble |
| Attorney General | Felix Collins | ||
| Prince Edward Island | Premier of PEI Justice, Attorney General and Public Safety | H. Wade MacLauchlan | Erin Mitchell |
| Nova Scotia | Justice and Attorney General | Diana C. Whalen | Tilly Pillay, Q.C. |
| Public Prosecution Service (Justice) | Martin E Herschorn (Public Prosecutions) | ||
| New Brunswick | Justice and Solicitor General | Stephen Horsman | Johanne Bray |
| Public Safety | Graig Dalton | ||
| Quebec | Justice and Attorney General | Stéphanie Vallée | Nathalie G. Drouin |
| Criminal and Penal Prosecutions | Annick Murphy (Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions) | ||
| Public Security | Lise Thériault | Denis Marsolais | |
| Ontario | Attorney General | Madeleine Meilleur | Patrick Monahan |
| Community Safety | Yasir Naqvi | Matt Torigian | |
| Correctional Services | Stephen Rhodes | ||
| Manitoba | Justice and Attorney General | Gord Mackintosh | Donna Miller |
| Saskatchewan | Justice and Attorney General | Gordon Wyant | Kevin Fenwick |
| Corrections and Policing | Christine Tell | Dale McFee | |
| Alberta | Justice and Solicitor General | Kathleen Ganley | Philip Bryden |
| Attorney General | Curtis Clarke (Associate Deputy Solicitor General) | ||
| British Columbia | Justice and Attorney General | Suzanne Anton | Lori Wanamaker (Deputy Solicitor General and Deputy Minister) |
| Richard Fyfe (Deputy Attorney General) | |||
| Yukon | Justice | Brad Cathers | Thomas Ullyett |
| Northwest Territory | Justice | David Ramsay | Sylvia Haener |
| Nunavut | Justice | Paul Okalik | Elizabeth Sanderson |
*See biographical notes of Ministers of Justice and Attorneys General.
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