2017-18 Departmental Plan
Plans at a Glance
The Government of Canada is committed to growing the economy, creating jobs and growing the middle class. Justice Canada will support these efforts through collaboration, innovation, consultation, transparency and transformation. The Department will be informed by provincial and territorial government needs, social and legal change, risks and broader social policy concerns critical to policy and program work in all domains. Ongoing collaboration with provinces, territories, Indigenous communities, stakeholders and Canadians is essential to support access to justice, law reform and partnerships. Justice will support the Government’s innovation agenda, looking for new approaches to work to advance organizational and government priorities.
There is a recognized need for the federal government to innovate and find new ways to address persistent challenges that traditional approaches have failed to solve. In support of the Government’s focus on evidence-based policy-making and instilling a culture of innovation in program design and delivery, the Department has identified $2 million in 2017-18 to support innovations in criminal legal aid. This investment is intended to allow provinces, territories and their legal aid plans to develop new ways of delivering legal aid services and/or to maintain modernization and accountability measures. The Department will work to develop, implement and test new and innovative approaches to program and policy design and delivery and will put in place processes that identify successful innovations that are able to demonstrate positive outcomes and potentially be replicated in other program areas and/or on a larger scale.
The Department’s priorities for 2017-18 support various government priorities and mandate letter commitments and focus on advancing reconciliation with Indigenous peoples; transforming the criminal justice system; strengthening human rights, governance and the rule of law; providing high-quality legal services; and providing litigation review and renewal. An ongoing commitment is to support the Clerk’s Public Service Renewal priorities while managing organizational transformation in support of legal and business excellence.
Program 1.1: Stewardship of the Canadian Legal Framework
Priority 1: Safety, Security and Transformation of the Criminal Justice System
To ensure safety and security for Canadians while transforming the criminal justice system.
- Review the Criminal Justice System to ensure that legislation meets the highest standards of equity, fairness and respect for the rule of law.
- Work with the Minister of Health, provinces and territories to implement the Medical Assistance in Dying legislation.
- Work with the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness and the Minister of Health to create a federal-provincial-territorial process that will lead to the legalization and regulation of cannabis.
Priority 2: Advancing Reconciliation
To renew Canada’s nation-to-nation relationship with Indigenous peoples based on recognition of rights, respect, cooperation, and partnership.
- Support, in collaboration with the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs and the Minister of Status of Women, the participation of the Government of Canada in the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
- Work with the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness and the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs to address throughout the criminal justice system gaps in services to Indigenous people and those with mental illnesses.
- Support the Government in its commitment to complete a review of laws and policies to ensure that the Crown is fulfilling its constitutional and international human rights obligations (e.g., Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982 and to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)).
Priority 3: Strengthening Human Rights, Governance and the Rule of Law
Support the Government’s commitment to upholding the Constitution and the rule of law, and assist the Government in advancing related domestic and international legal and policy interests through development of public law policy.
- Ensure that the rights of Canadians are protected, that the Government’s work demonstrates the greatest possible commitment to respecting the Charter, and that the Government seeks to fulfill its policy goals with the least possible interference with the rights and privacy of Canadians.
- Consult provinces and territories to gauge their interest in expansion of Unified Family Courts and bring forward implementing legislation and related measures.
- Support enactment of Bill C-16 to add gender identity as a prohibited ground for discrimination under the Canadian Human Rights Act.
- Provide policy support to officials in Canadian Heritage to restore a modern Court Challenges Program.
- Support the Government’s review of the Access to Information Act, including the commitment to apply that law appropriately to administrative bodies that support the federal courts.
Program 2.1: Legal Services to Government
Priority 1: High-Quality Legal Services and Litigation Review and Renewal
To support the Government of Canada’s priorities through the delivery of high-quality legal services.
- Provide integrated legal advisory, litigation and legislative services to all federal departments and agencies to support the implementation of Government policies and priorities.
- Support the Minister of Justice with the implementation of the Minister’s Mandate Letter commitment to review the Government’s litigation strategy and to consider the policy, financial and legal implications of litigation involving Canada.
Internal Services
Priority 1: Organizational Transformation and Management Excellence
To manage organizational transformation in support of legal and business excellence.
- Through the newly established Results and Delivery Unit, the Department will continue to support the Privy Council Office and the Cabinet Committee on Agenda, Results and Communications, chaired by the Prime Minister, by implementing the Justice Outcomes Framework and reporting on the Department’s progress in advancing government-wide priorities and achieving meaningful results for Canadians.
- Support Public Service Renewal priorities through Blueprint 2020, with emphasis on providing service excellence, encouraging transformative activities and streamlining processes.
- Support the development or implementation of government-wide Transformation Initiatives such as Workplace 2.0, Transformation of Pay Administration, and key Information Management/Information Technology initiatives.
- Advance the Canada’s Legal Team vision through three pillars: a whole-of-Justice approach, legal and business excellence, and new ways of working through talent management, innovation and technology.
- Continue a digital-by-design approach to efficiently and effectively deliver communications services to the Department.
For more information on the Department of Justice Canada’s plans, priorities and the planned results, see the “Planned results” section of this report.
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