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Provincial-Territorial Justice Relations

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

The meeting of Federal-Provincial-Territorial (FPT) 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 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, such as Indigenous issues, bail, policing, court efficiency, drugs and issues of possession, family law, and legal aid. The last meeting took place in person in October 2024.

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. These meetings often result in a joint public statement.

In addition to formal meetings, Ministers have held ad hoc meetings to respond to specific issues. The FPT Ministers’ table held an ad hoc meeting on Canada’s bail system in March 2023 and on hate crimes in November 2023 to address concerns raised by provincial and territorial colleagues.

Meetings of Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers Responsible for Human Rights

FPT Ministers responsible for human rights meet every two years to discuss Canada’s human rights priorities. The intent is to discuss current and emerging issues and priorities related to the implementation of international human rights in Canada and follow up on commitments from previous meetings.

Although the meeting is co-chaired by the Minister of Canadian Heritage and a provincial- territorial co-chair, the Minister of Justice plays a key role given the responsibilities fo human rights issues at the domestic and international level. The last meeting took place in June 2023, and the next meeting will be in July 2025 in Saskatchewan. These meetings often result in a joint public statement.

Bilateral meetings with Ministers

The Minister of Justice meets individually with the provincial and territorial Ministers of Justice and Attorneys General on priority files, usually at their request.

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 also meet twice a year to discuss emerging and ongoing issues of mutual concern, and to support FPT Ministers. The last meeting took place virtually in January 2025.

Deputy Ministers also hold ad hoc meetings to respond to pressing issues. For example, the FPT Deputy Ministers’ table held multiple hybrid meetings in the first year of the pandemic to ensure a cooperative approach to pressing issues and recently held a meeting to discuss tariffs.

Justice Federal, Provincial and Territorial Environment

Regular meetings at the officials’ level support the development of options for Deputy Ministers’ and Ministers’ consideration.

Discussions between FPT governments occur in a variety of structures, including both continuing and time-limited committees. For example:

• the Coordinating Committees of Senior Officials responsible for Criminal Justice, Youth Justice and Family Justice;
• the FPT Working Group on Victim Issues;
• the Liaison Officers Committee of the National Justice Statistics Initiative; and
• the FPT 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 FPT 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., C.J.C. Executive Director and Senior General Counsel: Jacqueline Corado

The Canadian Judicial Council comprises all superior court chief justices and associate chief justices (44 members). It was created to promote efficiency, uniformity and accountability, as well as to improve the quality of judicial service in the superior courts of Canada.

A major statutory responsibility is receiving and considering complaints with respect to the superior court judiciary, imposing penalties for misconduct where appropriate and, in the most serious cases of misconduct, 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 of Justice has always been invited to address both meetings.

Canadian Superior Courts Judges Association

President: The Honourable Clayton Conlan, Superior Court of Justice of Ontario
Executive Director: Stephanie Lockhart

The Canadian Superior Courts Judges Association represents approximately 1,400 puisne judges, sitting and retired, from the superior courts 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 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 most recent Quadrennial Commission began its nine-month inquiry on October 11, 2024.

Canadian Council of Chief Judges

Executive Director: The Honourable Melissa Gillespie, Chief Judge, Provincial Court of British Columbia (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

President: The Honourable James Rybchuk, Provincial Court of Saskatchewan

The Canadian Association of Provincial Court Judges is a voluntary association of provincially and territorially appointed judges. The Association is committed to the achievement of several primary objectives, which address the role of the provincial and territorial courts as integral players in the delivery of justice to Canadians. These include monitoring the status of provincially and territorially 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 Association acts as the primary representative of the provincial and territorial 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 and territorial courts.

National Judicial Institute

Chair: The Right Honourable Richard Wagner, P.C.
Chief Judicial Officer: The Honourable Justice Tom Crabtree 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 a vice-chair who is a judge of the Supreme Court of Canada, two provincial court judges, three federally appointed judges, and three academics. The Institute is the main provider of judicial education to the superior court judiciary and also offers programming to provincial and territorial court judges.

The 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, Scotland, Singapore, and Ukraine.

Legal Profession Organizations

Canadian Bar Association

President: Lynne Vicars
Chief Executive Officer: Steven Levitt

The Canadian Bar Association is a professional, voluntary organization that represents more than 40,000 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 Association has an ongoing interest in providing input to the Department of Justice Canada 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: Teresa Donnelly
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 136,000 lawyers, Quebec’s 4,200 notaries, and Ontario’s 10,600 licensed paralegals.

Currently, issues of interest to the Federation include wellness of the legal profession; lawyer mobility; solicitor-client privilege; law office searches; legal ethics; access to justice and improving access to legal services; reconciliation with Indigenous peoples; mandatory continuing professional development (accreditation); international trade agreements and legal services; international development projects; and combatting money laundering and terrorist financing.

Barreau du Québec

Bâtonnière: Me Catherine Claveau Executive Director: Me Catherine Ouimet

The Barreau du Québec has more than 31,000 members. The Barreau monitors the practice of the profession in Quebec and promotes the rule of law.

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

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

Criminal Lawyers’ Association

President: Boris Bytensky
Executive Director (Ex-Officio): John Chagnon

The Criminal Lawyers’ Association (CLA) is one of the largest specialty legal organizations in Canada, with more than 1,800 members. The CLA is a voice for criminal justice and civil liberties in Canada. The CLA’s advice and perspective relates to legislation, litigation, and the administration of criminal justice.

Law Enforcement Organizations

Current issues of interest for law enforcement are as follows: bail reform; protests and demonstrations; combatting hate crimes; cybercrime and fraud; border security; organized crime; auto theft; firearms; illegal drugs; human trafficking; violent offenders; guns and gangs; and intimate partner violence and sexual assault.

Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police

President: Commissioner Thomas Carrique, Ontario Provincial Police

The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police is dedicated to the support and promotion of efficient law enforcement, as well as to the protection and security of the Canadian public. About 1,200 police chiefs across Canada are members, 500 of whom are active members. The Association committees liaise with various levels of government and departments having legislative and executive responsibility in law and policing.

Canadian Police Association

President: Tom Stamatakis

The Canadian Police Association (CPA) 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. The CPA regularly provides expert testimony before parliamentary committees and facilitate discussion between its member associations and Parliamentarians in their constituencies, to offer localized policing perspective on significant issues of community safety.

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