  
Department of Justice
FEDERAL JUSTICE MINISTER TO MEET WITH
OTHER MINISTERS RESPONSIBLE FOR JUSTICE
OTTAWA, September 8, 2000 The Honourable Anne McLellan, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, will be attending the annual meeting of Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers Responsible for Justice, which
will take place in Iqaluit on September 11 and 12. Minister McLellan will be chairing the meeting, along with the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Solicitor General of Canada, and the Honourable Jack Anawak, Minister of Justice for Nunavut.
"We have made important progress in many of the areas discussed by Ministers last year. In order for the justice system to respond to the needs of Canadians across the country, I am looking forward to meaningful input from the provinces and
territories," said the Minister.
Minister McLellan, going into the meeting, outlined the priorities that she would be pursuing with her colleagues:
Domestic violence, a serious and complex problem in Canadian society, is on the agenda. It presents a unique set of issues for not only the victim, but for the police and Crown prosecutors. Minister McLellan will invite Ministers
responsible for justice issues to the second Federal-Provincial-Territorial Forum on Spousal Abuse Cases, tentatively scheduled for November. This forum will enable police, prosecutors, victims' services and criminal justice officials working in
this area to exchange information and update best practices since the first forum in 1998.
Use of the Internet to exploit children is a modern problem
facing Canadians. The Department of Justice has been working closely with other
government departments to co-ordinate ongoing government initiatives and to
develop new solutions to deal with the problem of offensive and illegal content
on the Internet. Minister McLellan will indicate to her counterparts that she
would be open to amending the Criminal
Code to make the use of the Internet to exploit children an offence.
A renewed youth justice framework will soon be a reality. Since the last meeting of Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers Responsible for Justice, the Government of Canada has listened carefully to the views expressed by the
provinces and territories and others and, in response, is proposing amendments to Bill C-3, the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Bill C-3
aims to protect society by preventing crime, ensuring meaningful consequences and rehabilitating youth who get into trouble with the law. The Bill is expected to move quickly through Parliament this fall. The Minister indicated that she would work
with the provinces and territories as we drive for full implementation of the Act.
Family law, including a new approach to custody and access
for children, is an important issue crossing all jurisdictions in Canada. As
such, it is essential that all governments be involved in consulting Canadians
on how to strengthen support to families to ensure that the needs and best interests
of children come first in situations of separation or divorce. "In December
of last year Ministers approved a joint project on custody and access, including
consultations to support child-focussed amendments to the Divorce
Act. I will be seeking consensus at the meeting to move forward on
the consultation plan," explained Minister McLellan.
Home invasions will be a matter of discussion at the meeting.
Since the last meeting, Minister McLellan has introduced Criminal Code
amendments in Bill
C-36 that specifically identify home invasion as an aggravating circumstance
to be considered at the time of sentencing. This amendment will provide judges
with clear direction that the Government of Canada views home invasions as serious
criminal conduct that should be met with significant penalties.
Legal Aid will be raised by Minister McLellan with her provincial and territorial colleagues. At the recent meeting of the Canadian Bar Association she pledged to address the lack of data
on the adequacy of funding for legal aid in criminal cases. "It will be essential to have a solid analytical basis on which to realign criminal legal aid so that it meets the needs of Canadians," said the Minister. Minister McLellan will
raise the issue of provincial and territorial support for a joint federal-provincial-territorial needs-based research program in criminal legal aid.
Victims issues remain a high priority for the Minister of Justice. Since the last Ministers meeting, the Government of Canada announced funding of $25 million for federal victim-related
initiatives and programs over the next five years. Of that, $10 million is dedicated to a Victims Fund, which will provide for grants and contributions to the provinces and territories and non-governmental organizations for projects benefiting
victims. Minister McLellan is looking forward to discussing how the provinces and territories can best make use of these new resources and work together to serve the interests of victims in Canada.
"Over the past year I have taken action to encourage victims’ participation in the justice system, to increase the personal security of Canadians and to modernize the justice system," said the Minister. "I look forward to working
with my provincial and territorial colleagues in the coming year to address the priorities of the criminal justice system and to ensure an integrated family law strategy."
- 30 -
Ref.:
Alexander Swann
Minister’s Office
Department of Justice
(613) 992-4621
|
