Our Work

The Minister of Justice is responsible for more than 45 statutes and areas of federal law. To support the Minister, the Department of Justice pursues an active policy and program agenda addressing key issues that affect the lives of Canadians. The Department's day-to-day work falls into four main areas:

• providing legal advice to federal departments and agencies;
• litigating to uphold federal laws and prosecuting violations of those laws;
• drafting and reviewing legislation and regulations in both official languages, reflecting both the common law and the civil law tradition in Canada;
• developing policy and supporting programs in areas such as human rights, youth justice, Aboriginal justice, family justice, criminal law, privacy, and official languages.

The following links provide further information on some specific areas of the Department's activities. (See the Programs and Initiatives section of this site for a list of departmental programs.)

Access to Information and Privacy
The Information Law and Privacy Section provides legal advice concerning the interpretation of the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act.

Anti-Terrorism Act Review
The Anti-terrorism Act Review Task Force supports the ongoing parliamentary review of Canada's anti-terrorism laws, which take aim at terrorist organizations and help the Government of Canada to meet the challenges that terrorism poses.

Criminal Conviction Review
The Criminal Code gives the federal Minister of Justice the power to review a conviction under a federal law to determine whether there may have been a miscarriage of justice, or what is often called a "wrongful conviction." If a miscarriage of justice likely occurred, the Minister of Justice has the authority to order a new trial or refer the matter to the court of appeal for the province or the territory in question.

Criminal Law Reform
The Department leads the government's efforts to modernize the Criminal Code and related statutes. Reform efforts are designed to improve the protection of Canadians, safeguard rights, enhance the efficiency of the justice system, instill confidence in the criminal justice system, ensure that the law reflects the Charter, and address emerging issues that require a criminal law response.

Dispute Resolution (DR)
The Department's DR Centre for Excellence is devoted to the prevention and management of disputes; to promoting a greater understanding of DR; and to assisting in the integration of DR into the policies, operations and practices of the Government of Canada, Crown corporations, federal tribunals and administrative agencies, and federally constituted courts.

Electronic Commerce
The Department has been a key partner with other federal departments in supporting Canada's economic agenda, particularly in an increasingly global and digitally-driven economy. Electronic commerce, broadly defined to include any transaction where the underlying means of facilitating that transaction is electronic, is also used to deliver government services.

Family Law Assistance
The Family Law Assistance Services section works closely with, and provides services to, the provinces and territories under formal and informal agreements, authorized mainly under three federal acts: Family Orders and Agreement Enforcement Assistance Act; Garnishment Attachment and Pension Diversion Act, and Regulations under the Divorce Act.

Federal Prosecutions
The Federal Prosecution Service (FPS) is responsible for the conduct of federal prosecutions and criminal litigation under some 50 federal statutes on behalf of the Attorney General of Canada. The FPS also acts on behalf of the Minister of Justice as the Central Authority for Canada on extradition matters and mutual legal assistance requests from or to foreign states, such as evidence-gathering for use in criminal investigations and prosecutions.

Francophonie, Justice in Official Languages and Legal Dualism
The Office of La Francophonie, Justice in Official Languages and Legal Dualism coordinates, within the Department, activities relating to both Canadian and international Francophonie. More specifically, it coordinates the institutional activities of the Department of Justice relating to international Francophonie, Canadian Francophonie, the implementation of Part VII of the Official Languages Act, and the promotion of Canadian legal dualism.

International Law
The Department's international law work ensures integrated and proactive legal advisory, policy and litigation services to a range of governmental clients. The work covers issues central to Canada's interests, such as international human rights and humanitarian law; national security; anti-terrorism and transnational crime; international trade and investment law and intellectual property law; family law and other international private law matters; and international aviation, maritime and environmental law.

International Cooperation
The International Cooperation Group (ICG) promotes Canadian values of justice and good governance by implementing projects abroad.

Legislative Services
The Legislative Services Branch is responsible for: the drafting of all government bills and motions to amend; the drafting and examination of most of proposed regulations; the official publishing of Acts of Parliament following Royal Assent and related tables; and the updating and consolidation of federal statutes and regulations. It also ensures that statutes and regulations meet the requirements of a bilingual society with two legal systems, and therefore contributes to the general recognition and promotion of bilingualism and bijuralism.

Organized Crime
The Department combats organized crime in a number of ways: through legislative projects and policy development, by conducting research, by prosecuting cases and by delivering training programs and support to investigators and prosecutors.

Program Evaluation
The Program Evaluation Division carries out objective, credible and useful evaluation (both formative and summative) of the Department's policies, programs, operations and services; and provides advice and assistance to managers on results based management including ongoing measurement and reporting on results achieved.

Public Consultations
The Department uses a variety of means to consult with the public to involve individual Canadians and intermediary organizations in the development, design and evaluation of public policies, programs, legislation and services.

Research and Statistics
The Research and Statistics Division provides a core research capacity that delivers high quality social science research and statistical services to the Department and the Government of Canada to support evidence-based decision making within a justice context.

Speakers Bureau
The Speakers Bureau provides its services across Canada to promote awareness and understanding of justice issues. Its services, which include informative and engaging presentations, as well as speeches and panel discussions, are offered in both official languages.

Trafficking in Persons
The Interdepartmental Working Group on Trafficking in Persons coordinates federal activities to address trafficking including the development, promotion and implementation of a comprehensive anti-trafficking strategy.