Federal-Provincial-Territorial Meeting of Ministers responsible for Justice

NEWS RELEASE – FEDERAL, PROVINCIAL AND TERRITORIAL MINISTERS RESPONSIBLE FOR JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY MEET

Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers   Responsible for Justice and Public Safety Meet

WINNIPEG, Manitoba, November 16, 2007 – Federal, provincial   and territorial (FPT) ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety   concluded their meeting today, after substantive discussions on key justice and   public safety issues currently facing Canada, such as youth justice, drugs,   organized crime, and policing. Ministers noted the need for ongoing   collaboration to ensure the advancement of their common goal of ensuring public   safety and protecting Canadians against crime.

The meeting was co-chaired by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of   Canada, Rob Nicholson, P.C., Q.C., the Minister of Public Safety, Stockwell Day   and the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Manitoba, Dave Chomiak.

2,500 Additional Police Officer Initiative

The federal Minister of Public Safety provided an update on the 2,500   additional police officers initiative. Provincial and territorial ministers   asserted the importance of full and permanent federal funding. The federal   minister reiterated the Government’s position that the program be cost shared.   The federal minister also noted that it is his intention to move forward with a   proposal in a timely manner that fully respects provincial and territorial   jurisdictions on policing.

Organized Crime

Ministers agreed that organized crime continues to pose a serious threat to   the safety of Canadian communities. They approved and urged quick implementation   of recommendations designed to strengthen the Criminal Code to fight   organized crime.  These recommendations include making gang homicides   automatically first degree murder, targeting drive-by shootings and enhancing   protection for peace officers.

Ministers approved a broad-based work plan to strengthen the fight against   organized crime in areas such as improved cooperation/collaboration and expanded   strategies for integrated responses.

Ministers also agreed with recommendations from officials to improve the way   large and complex trials are conducted. The officials recommended legislative   amendments to reduce the risk of mistrials and address some of the difficulties   associated with the management of mega-trials, among other things. Ministers   agreed to refer the report to the Department of Justice Canada for the detailed   policy work necessary to move the initiative forward.

Legal Aid

Provincial/territorial Ministers of Justice and Attorneys General raised, as   their highest priority, their unanimous concern about the ability of Canadians,   particularly vulnerable women and children, to access the justice system. Legal   aid is an essential element of providing Canadians with this access. In   particular, provincial/territorial ministers pressed the federal Minister of   Justice to recognize the shared responsibility for delivery of legal aid to   Canadians, to increase federal funding for criminal legal aid, and to provide   new funding to support civil legal aid. The federal Minister of Justice stated   that support for families is a priority area for the federal government. The   federal minister also stated that he is committed to raise   provincial/territorial concerns with respect to civil legal aid with the federal   Minister of Finance and encouraged the provincial/territorial ministers to also   raise the issues with their finance ministers

Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA)

Provincial and territorial ministers expressed support for the federal   government’s position that it will take action to strengthen the pre-trial   detention provisions of the YCJA. Ministers agreed that action is   necessary to ensure that there is adequate protection of the public through   clear pre-trial detention provisions. Ministers indicated support for the   federal government’s plan to amend the YCJA to ensure that young   offenders are held accountable by including deterrence and denunciation as   principles of sentencing.

The provincial and territorial ministers also expressed support for a review   of the YCJA given that the Act has now been in place for five   years.

Changing Face of Correctional Services

Ministers acknowledged that over the last decade, the composition and dynamic   of Canada's correctional population has changed considerably, raising a number   of issues. For example, the growing number of individuals in remand awaiting   trial or sentencing is a concern. Ministers expressed the need for continued   collaboration to identify best practices and potential solutions to the new   correctional reality. The ministers agreed to a specific study, reporting back   next year, to determine how these significant changes are affecting correctional   services across Canada and whether a new approach to corrections is needed.

Credit for Time Served

Ministers discussed the credit being given for pre-trial custody in   sentencing. Ministers reconfirmed their October 2006 agreement that credit for   pre-sentencing custody should be limited to a maximum ratio of 1.5 to 1. When   the accused has been detained due to his/her criminal record or for having   violated bail conditions the maximum ratio would be 1 to 1. Provincial and   territorial ministers unanimously encouraged the federal ministers to proceed   with these Criminal Code amendments as a priority. The federal minister   confirmed his commitment to addressing this matter.

Securities Fraud Enforcement

Ministers recognized the serious harm caused to victims as a result of   securities fraud and expressed their appreciation for the work done by the   Securities Fraud Enforcement Working Group. The ministers discussed the   recommendations and asked that further work be done to examine them for analysis   and implementation.

Human Trafficking

Ministers discussed the domestic and international aspects of trafficking in   persons and expressed support for continued efforts to combat it. They   considered current prevention, protection and prosecution responses to address   this problem and stressed the importance of continued collaboration and sharing   of best practices in areas such as training and awareness-raising to ensure that   traffickers are held accountable and that appropriate steps are being taken to   protect and assist trafficking victims.

Federal Funding

The federal Minister of Justice provided an update on funding for the   Aboriginal Justice Strategy, the Aboriginal Courtwork Program, the Child-Centred   Family Justice Fund, the Victims Fund, the Justice Partnership and Innovation   Program Renewal Strategy, and the Youth Justice Intensive Rehabilitative Custody   and Supervision Program. He is committed to these programs and will use his best   efforts to secure renewal and enhancements where applicable. Provinces and   territories tabled a resolution asking the federal government to renew and   enhance its funding commitment for the Child-centred Family Justice Fund   Strategy.

Dangerous Offenders/Long Term Offenders

Ministers approved the recommendations of the High Risk Offender Working   Group and noted the recent introduction of legislation to provide tougher   sentences and more effective management of individuals convicted of sexual or   violent offences. Ministers noted that, to a great extent Bill C-2 effectively   responds to the group’s recommendations and agreed that the Working Group will   continue to explore outstanding issues.

Sentencing

A recent Supreme Court of Canada decision noted the lack of authority for law   enforcement officials to obtain bodily samples to monitor drug/alcohol   prohibitions. Ministers accepted the recommendations of a working group   regarding Criminal Code amendments to provide the legal authority to   take bodily samples to monitor compliance with probation orders and conditional   sentences and noted the need for some issues to be further reviewed by   officials.

Tasers

Given that there has recently been work done, in policing sectors in a number   of jurisdictions on the use of tasers, Ministers requested officials to have   this work brought together to share information and best practices on the use of   tasers in Canada.

Child Pornography

Ministers expressed serious concern about child pornography on the Internet   and asked officials, on a priority basis, to complete their work in examining   measures, including legislation, to increase cooperation of Internet Service   Providers in assisting law enforcement officials to identify criminals and   rescue child victims.

Online Gambling

Ministers endorsed the work of the Internet Gambling Working Group and   encouraged further discussion on regulation and control, investigation of   gambling offences and modernization of language in the Criminal Code relating to gambling on the Internet.

Auto Theft

Ministers recognized the serious risk that auto theft poses to innocent   people across the country where dangerous driving is involved, where auto theft   is linked to organized crime, and where vulnerable young persons are being   exploited to carry out these crimes. Ministers asked for a collaborative effort   to examine legislative and non-legislative solutions that will deter this crime.

Chronic Offenders

Ministers endorsed recommendations for developing more effective strategies   for addressing the problems posed by chronic offenders who repeatedly commit   less serious crimes, often as a result of addictions or mental health issues.   These approaches include partnerships with the health and social services   sectors and working with communities. As the next step ministers supported   organizing regional conferences with the ultimate goal of reducing the negative   impact that chronic offending has on communities.

Aboriginal Justice

The ministers agreed, in principle, to a declaration to work collaboratively   toward predictable, sustainable and equitable justice-related services and   programs for Aboriginal people.

This declaration recognizes the respective roles and responsibilities of the   federal, provincial, and territorial governments. It is based on principles of   mutual respect, collaboration and flexibility. The ministers recognized the need   to take concrete actions to address specific justice matters in Aboriginal   communities.

Assisted Human Reproduction

Advances in assisted human reproduction have made determining the legal   parent-child relationship more complicated. Ministers directed officials to   continue work with the Uniform Law Conference of Canada to develop a policy   framework to deal with the parent-child relationship in these circumstances.

Cumulative Impacts

The ministers acknowledged that the delivery of justice to Canadians is a   shared responsibility and that changes in one part of the system have impacts   elsewhere. The ministers approved the Working Group’s model for the assessment   of the impact of reforms and confirmed the importance of collaboration.

Ref.:

                                               
Geneviève Breton
           Director of Communications
           Office of the   Minister of Justice
           (613) 992-4621
Media Relations
           Department of Justice
           (613)   957-4207

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Internet: www.canada.justice.gc.ca