2021-22 Departmental Plan
Plans at a Glance
Through its core responsibilities of legal services delivery and justice system support, the Department of Justice Canada supports a broad range of government initiatives and ministerial mandate letter commitments. To ensure strong and evidence-based public policy and good governance, the Department applies a range of critical considerations, which include legal risk analysis; diversity and inclusion such as Gender-Based Analysis PlusEndnote i (GBA+); privacy; modern treaty implications; and strategic environmental assessment.
The following provides an overview of the Department of Justice Canada’s key priorities in 2021-22 for each of its core responsibilities, as well as its internal services.
Legal Services
The Department will support the implementation of many Government of Canada priorities through the delivery of high quality, integrated legal services – specifically, advisory, litigation, and legislative services.
Key actions:
- In support of the Government’s actions to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, provide legal advice to federal departments and agencies on public health and safety, vaccinations, procurement, assisting Canadians in need, and domestic and international economic recovery efforts.
- Provide legal advisory services to Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, Indigenous Services Canada, and other government departments to further the Government’s ongoing commitment to advancing reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.
- Provide legal advice to Public Safety Canada and related agencies to support the Government’s renewed commitments on firearms control, including strengthening measures to control the flow of illegal guns into Canada and giving municipalities the ability to further restrict or ban handguns.
- Provide legal advisory and legislative services to Public Safety Canada and related agencies to introduce legislation and make investments to address systemic inequities in the criminal justice system.
- With respect to litigation, provide strategic advice and guidance in the development and national implementation of legal positions and strategies for complex cases and increasing numbers of class proceedings.
Justice System Support
The Department will play an essential role in promoting respect for rights and in ensuring a fair, relevant and accessible legal framework and justice system that support alternative ways of responding to the causes and consequences of offending.
Key actions:
- Implement criminal justice system reform to address the overrepresentation in the system of Indigenous people and Black and marginalized populations, including Canadians suffering from substance abuse or with mental health issues.
- Continue to support efforts and explore options to address the neglect and abuse of seniors and elders.
- Collaborate with government partners, Indigenous organizations, and other groups on various initiatives relating to the Department’s mandate; these include advancing the implementation of the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation CommissionEndnote ii and, if enacted, Bill C-15Endnote iii (An Act respecting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples), as well as contributing to a National Action Plan in response to the Calls for Justice of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and GirlsEndnote iv.
- Develop innovative approaches to Indigenous justice systems, including leading negotiations on administration-of-justice agreements with Indigenous partners and collaborative work with interested Indigenous organizations and with provinces and territories.
- Lead the policy facet of the Privacy ActEndnote v modernization initiative with the goal of tabling further legislation to help ensure that the Privacy Act reflects Canadians’ modern expectations of privacy, while supporting horizontal and innovative initiatives within government.
Internal Services
The Department will promote legal and business excellence with a strategic focus on its workforce, on innovation and collaboration, and on open, transparent and accountable operations.
Key actions:
- Maintain vigilance and readiness to adapt to changing circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic while planning for the future easing of workplace restrictions.
- Continue to foster a work environment that is healthy and safe, both psychologically and physically, and also respectful, inclusive, and accessible, through such initiatives as the departmental Mental Health Action Plan for 2020-23, the Employment Equity Plan, and the Accessibility Plan.
- Identify and implement meaningful strategies and practices, with the collaboration of various stakeholders, to improve inclusion and address discrimination in hiring, retention and promotional opportunities that may be experienced by Indigenous, Black and racialized employees.
- Promote digital approaches and strategies for information sharing and collaboration, while ensuring information management and information technology planning and data protection.
- Implement strategies to minimize the impacts of the Phoenix Pay System on Department employees.
For more information on the Department of Justice Canada’s plans, priorities and planned results, see the “Core Responsibilities: Planned Results and Resources, and Key Risks” section of this report.
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