Department of Justice Canada Minister's Transition Book

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Key Contacts

Provincial-Territorial Justice Relations

Annual Meetings of Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers Responsible for Justice and Public Safety

The meeting of Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers Responsible for Justice and Public Safety is a forum where ministers, accompanied by their respective deputy minister, work collaboratively on issues that address the concerns of Canadians. There is a long–standing tradition of working cooperatively to meet the needs of all jurisdictions in the areas of justice and public safety.

This meeting, held once or twice a year, allows ministers to discuss justice and public safety issues and priorities requiring their direction or decision. The last meeting took place in November 2018 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Minister of Justice co-chairs the meeting with the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness and the Minister of the province or territory where the meeting is held. These meetings often result in a joint public statement.

Key topics discussed during the last several ministerial meetings include delays in the criminal justice system, mandatory minimum penalties, preliminary inquiries, reclassification of offences, efficiencies, cannabis, impaired driving, Indigenous issues and countering terrorism.

Bilateral meetings with Ministers

The Minister of Justice may meet individually with the provincial and territorial ministers of justice and attorneys general on priority files. These meetings are usually at the request of the provincial or territorial minister.

Bi-annual Meeting of Federal, Provincial and Territorial Deputy Ministers Responsible for Justice and Public Safety

The deputy ministers responsible for justice and public safety meet twice a year to discuss emerging and ongoing issues of mutual concern, and to support federal, provincial, and territorial ministers. The next meeting of deputy ministers will be held from December 11 to 12, 2019, in Montreal.

Justice Federal, Provincial and Territorial Environment

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 responsible for Criminal Justice, Youth Justice and Family Justice;
• the Federal, Provincial and Territorial Working Group on Victim Issues;
• the Liaison Officers Committee of the National Justice Statistics Initiative; and
• the Federal, Provincial and Territorial Permanent Working Group on Legal Aid.

Working groups may be established by deputy ministers or at the suggestion of ministers. Mandates of all working groups and Coordinating Committees of Senior Officials are approved by federal, provincial, and territorial deputy ministers.

Justice-Related Organizations

Aside from the organizations listed below, there are a number of civil society organizations or other stakeholders that are regularly in contact with the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada. These organizations are concerned with such matters as the needs of victims, human rights, civil liberties, and Indigenous rights. The Department would be pleased to provide information on key stakeholders in any identified priority areas.

Judicial Organizations

Canadian Judicial Council

Chair: The Right Honourable Richard Wagner, P.C.
Executive Director and Senior General Counsel: Norman Sabourin

The Canadian Judicial Council comprises all superior court chief justices and associate chief justices, as well as the senior judges of the Nunavut Court of Justice, the Supreme Court of the Yukon Territory and the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories (41 members). It was created to promote efficiency, uniformity and accountability and to improve the quality of judicial service in the superior courts of Canada.

A major statutory responsibility is receiving and considering complaints respecting the superior court judiciary and reporting its findings to the Minister of Justice.

The Council plays a major role in judicial education through approval of educational seminars for funding under the Judges Act. It also takes positions on other matters affecting the judiciary, such as compensation.

The full Council meets twice a year, usually in the spring and fall. The Minister has always been invited to address both meetings.

Canadian Superior Courts Judges Association

President: The Honourable Thomas A. Heeney, Ontario Superior Court of Justice

The Canadian Superior Courts Judges Association represents approximately 1300 puisne judges, sitting and retired, from the superior courts and courts of appeal across Canada. The Association is the successor to the Canadian Judges Conference, which was founded in 1979 with a mandate to protect and enhance judicial independence, provide continuing education for judges, improve the administration of justice and promote public understanding of the role judges play in the justice system. Membership is voluntary, but about 95 percent of all superior court judges are members of the Association.

The Canadian Superior Courts Judges Association acts as the main representative of the puisne judges in interactions with the Government on major issues such as judicial compensation and policy reform. The Association and the Canadian Judicial Council have historically presented a joint position to the Judicial Compensation and Benefits Commission (the Quadrennial Commission), which conducts an inquiry into the adequacy of judicial compensation every four years. The next Quadrennial Commission is scheduled to begin its nine-month inquiry on June 1, 2020.

The Association meets annually, usually in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Canadian Bar Association. An invitation to speak at a luncheon or dinner is usually extended to the Minister of Justice in connection with this meeting.

Canadian Council of Chief Judges

The position of Executive Director rotates among provincial chief judges.

The Canadian Council of Chief Judges is a non–statutory body whose membership comprises provincial and territorial chief judges and associate chief judges. While the organization may have similar interests to those of the Canadian Association of Provincial Court Judges, the members, as the judicial managers of the provincial courts, have distinct objectives and perspectives. Past issues of interest to the Council have included court structures, funding for judicial education and consultations on criminal law reform.

Canadian Association of Provincial Court Judges

The Canadian Association of Provincial Court Judges is a voluntary association of provincially appointed judges. The Association is committed to the achievement of several primary objectives, which address the role of the provincial courts as integral players in the delivery of justice to Canadians. These include monitoring the status of provincially appointed judges; acting as an advisory and consultative body to governments and other agencies involved in reforming the system of justice; and being an educator and disseminator of information to judges across the country.

The Canadian Association of Provincial Court Judges acts as the primary representative of the provincial court judiciary in interactions with the Government. The Department of Justice consults regularly with the Association on the development of criminal law initiatives and on the implementation of programs that have implications for the provincial courts. The Association receives an annual grant of $100,000 from the Department of Justice, and the Minister of Justice usually meets annually with the organization.

National Judicial Institute

Chair: The Right Honourable Richard Wagner, P.C.
Chief Judicial Officer: The Honourable Justice C. Adèle Kent
Chief Executive Officer: Danielle May-Cuconato

Created in 1988, the National Judicial Institute is a not–for–profit bilingual and independent organization dedicated to developing and delivering educational programs to federal, provincial and territorial judges. The Institute is judge–led; it is chaired by the Chief Justice of Canada and managed by a Board of Governors consisting of two provincial court judges and three federally appointed judges. The Institute is the main provider of judicial education to the superior court judiciary and also offers programming to provincial court judges.

The National Judicial Institute is acknowledged as a world leader in the design and delivery of judicial education, known for offering dynamic and relevant programming to judges in Canada, and has undertaken the coordination of the involvement of Canadian judges in providing judicial education internationally. Its International Cooperation Group has managed judicial reform projects that extend over several years in numerous countries, including Australia, Chile, China, Ethiopia, Ghana, Jamaica, Mexico, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Peru, Rwanda, Russia and Scotland.

Legal Profession Organizations

Canadian Bar Association

President: Vivene A. Salmon
Chief Executive Officer: Cheryl Farrow, CAE

The Canadian Bar Association is a professional, voluntary organization that represents more than 36,000 lawyers, judges, notaries, law teachers and law students from across Canada.

The Association is particularly concerned about issues such as the rule of law, access to justice, funding for legal aid and the independence of the legal profession. The Canadian Bar Association has an ongoing interest in providing input to the Department of Justice during the early stages of development of legislative proposals, in particular those relating to criminal law and youth justice.

Federation of Law Societies of Canada

President: Ross F. Earnshaw
Chief Executive Officer: Jonathan G. Herman

The Federation of Law Societies of Canada is the national coordinating body of Canada’s 14 law societies, which are mandated by provincial and territorial statutes to regulate, in the public interest, the country’s 125,000 lawyers, Quebec’s 3,800 notaries and Ontario’s 10,500 licensed paralegals.

Currently, issues of interest to the Federation include access to the legal profession; lawyer mobility; solicitor–client privilege; law office searches; legal aid; access to justice and improving access to legal services; the appointment of judges; mandatory continuing professional development (accreditation); international trade agreements and legal services; international development projects; and combatting money laundering and terrorist financing.

Barreau du Québec

Bâtonnier: M^e Paul-Matthieu Grondin
Executive Director: M^e Lise Tremblay

The Barreau du Québec has more than 24,000 members. The Barreau monitors the practice of the profession in Quebec and promotes the rule of law.

The Barreau du Québec is active in providing input on various legislative initiatives, including amendments to the Criminal Code and related federal statutes.

Historically, the Barreau du Québec has engaged bilaterally with the Minister of Justice or departmental officials. This practice is unique among Canadian law societies.

Law Enforcement Organizations

Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police

President: Chief Constable Adam Palmer, Vancouver Police Department

The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police is dedicated to the support and promotion of efficient law enforcement and to the protection and security of the Canadian public. About 1,200 police chiefs across Canada are members, 469 of whom are active members. Association committees liaise with various levels of government and departments having legislative and executive responsibility in law and policing. Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police initiatives are reported on at the annual conference.

Currently, the Association has a particular interest in issues such as lawful access to encrypted electronic media, non–returnable warrants, DNA legislation, organized crime law reform, justice efficiencies and the national dialogue, and initiatives around missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

Canadian Police Association

President: Tom Stamatakis

The Canadian Police Association is the national voice for 60,000 police personnel across Canada. Membership includes police personnel serving in 160 police services across the country, members of the RCMP, railway police and First Nations police personnel.

Broad issues of interest to the Canadian Police Association that relate to the Department of Justice include judicial advisory committee membership, conditional sentences, mandatory minimum penalties, dangerous offenders, drug-impaired driving, drug crime, firearms offences, non-returnable warrants, cyber-crime, youth crime and victims.

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