Hot Issues

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Charter rights and federalism

• Advancing strong working relationships with the provinces and territories is a consistent federal objective that reflects the best interest of Canadians. Justice is responsible for helping to ensure that its advice and guidance is sensitive to this objective.
• The Government of Canada is firmly committed to defending the rights and freedoms protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

For questions on Hak litigation related to Quebec’s secularism law, Bill 21:

• My predecessor followed the case before the Quebec Court of Appeal closely, as will I.
• Should the matter reach the Supreme Court of Canada, our government has committed to intervening.

For questions on Bill 96 (An Act respecting French, the official and common language of Quebec):

• Several people and organizations affected by the Act respecting the official and common language of Quebec, French, are contesting this law before the Quebec courts.
• The Government of Canada is considering its involvement in this litigation.

Reconciliation

Overarching Messages

• The Government of Canada is committed to advancing reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and addressing systemic racism in a way that is informed by the lived experiences of Indigenous peoples.
• We are committed to building renewed, nation-to-nation, Inuit-Crown, government-to-government relationships with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis based on affirmation of rights, respect, co-operation and partnership.

UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act and Action Plan

• The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act provides a historic, transformative opportunity to advance the implementation of the human rights of Indigenous peoples, as affirmed in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
• The Government of Canada worked in consultation and cooperation with Indigenous peoples to develop an Action Plan to achieve the objectives of the UN Declaration, including measures to ensure federal laws are consistent with the UN Declaration.
• The Action Plan was released on June 21, 2023. The 181 measures contained within it set out a wide-ranging, whole-of-government roadmap for our work ahead with Indigenous peoples over the next five years.

Indigenous Justice Strategy and Addressing Indigenous Overrepresentation

• The Government recognizes that there is systemic racism in Canada’s justice system. We have heard from the public, the courts, and criminal justice experts, and seen the evidence of the disproportionate representation of Indigenous people, both as offenders and as victims.
• In order to address this systemic discrimination and overrepresentation, the Government of Canada has committed to developing an Indigenous Justice Strategy, in consultation and cooperation with Indigenous, provincial and territorial partners.
• Indigenous-led and Justice Canada-led engagement on the IJS seeks to identify the legislative, program and policy initiatives needed to support the revitalization of Indigenous legal traditions and justice systems, while also creating change within the existing justice system.
• We have committed to criminal justice system reform to address the overrepresentation of Indigenous people. This work includes legislative changes already enacted such as repealing certain mandatory minimum penalties of imprisonment and removing restrictions on conditional sentencing and measures to ensure the specific circumstances of Indigenous people are considered at all stages of the criminal justice system.

Independent Special Interlocutor for Missing Children and Unmarked Graves and Burial Sites associated with Indian Residential Schools

• The identification of unmarked graves and burial sites of Indigenous children at residential schools has caused us all to reflect on Canada’s history and the truth of this troubling past.
• The work of the Special Interlocutor is an important trust-building exercise that will help communities move forward, find healing for families and Survivors, and push us all toward a more just framework for honouring the memory of Indigenous children who never returned home from residential schools.
• Kimberly Murray was appointed Special Interlocutor by Order-in-Council effective June 13, 2022 for a two-year term. She is a special advisor to the Minister of Justice with a mandate “to identify needed measures and recommend a new federal framework to ensure the respectful and culturally appropriate treatment of unmarked graves and burial sites of children at former Indian residential schools.”
• On June 16, 2023, she released her interim report to the Minister and to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities, Survivors and families.
• The Special Interlocutor’s Final Report is expected by June 2024.

Violent crime and repeat offending (bail reform)

• Everyone deserves to be and feel safe in their communities and have confidence in Canada’s criminal justice system.
• A safe and effective bail system requires close and effective collaboration across all levels of government. The safety of everyone in Canada is a shared responsibility.
• With Bill C-48, introduced in May 2023, our Government has moved forward with proposed targeted changes to Canada’s Criminal Code to address challenges posed by the repeat violent offenders.
• We are committed to addressing systemic discrimination in Canada’s criminal justice system. In developing the Bill, as with any proposed changes that effect Canada’s justice system, the Government remains mindful of the potential impacts on Indigenous peoples, Black persons and members of other vulnerable groups, who are already overrepresented in our criminal justice system.

If pressed on whether the PM will recall Parliament to pass bail reform legislation:

• I hope that all parties in the House of Commons will work together to see that Bill C-48 receives swift passage when Parliament resumes sitting this fall.

Firearms

• Too many people in Canada have been affected by senseless acts of gun violence in communities across our country.
• The Government is continuing to take action to crack down on firearms violence, including through legislation and ongoing programs. That action addresses smuggling and trafficking, targets violent crimes involving handguns, addresses gender-based violence, and further protects our communities.
• Assault-style firearms have been used in virtually all of Canada’s mass shootings over the past 40 years, devastating communities and families.
• Assault-style firearms have no place in our communities, which is why the Government of Canada prohibited over 1500 makes and models of assault-style firearms three years ago.
• In addition to the ban on assault-style firearms, the government (Public Safety Canada) made a commitment to launch a buyback program. The goal of this initiative is two-fold: to get assault-style firearms out of our communities and to fairly compensate owners.

Foreign interference

• Foreign interference is one of the most critical threats to Canada’s national security.
• Countering this threat–while protecting people in Canada and safeguarding Canada’s sovereignty, interests, and values–is a top priority for the Government.
• We are committed to taking action against those who seek to instill fear, silence dissent, and pressure political opponents in communities across our country.

Note: Foreign interference is covert, deceptive or threatening actions directed at individuals by foreign states that have a negative impact on Canadian interests.

Judicial appointments

• Public confidence in our judiciary is reinforced by a transparent and accountable selection process that identifies outstanding judicial candidates who reflect Canada’s diversity.
• Canada continues to demonstrate its commitment to a highly qualified, diverse, and independent judiciary. The merit-based judicial appointments process introduced by our government in October 2016, is consistent with the unwritten constitutional principle of judicial independence.
• Our Government has appointed more than 625 judges since November 2015. We will continue to proceed with nominations at a steady pace, and will continue to find efficiencies in the appointments process in order to significantly decrease the current number of vacancies.
• The exceptional jurists appointed by our government represent the diversity that strengthens Canada. Of these judges, more than half are women, and the appointments reflect an increased representation of members of visible minority groups, Indigenous people, people who identify as 2SLGBTQI+, and people having a disability.
• This increased representation is directly attributable to significant reforms that our government has made to the judicial appointments process.

If pressed on Supreme Court of Canada vacancy:

• On June 20, 2023, the Prime Minister opened the process to select the next justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.
• It is our government’s strong desire to have a new ninth justice in place before the next Supreme Court Session commences this October.
• Filling vacancies in the country’s highest court is of utmost importance. I will continue to support the Prime Minister of Canada in this process.

Online safety

• The Government of Canada is committed to keeping everyone in Canada safe, while protecting their rights and freedoms.
• Although digital platforms and other online safety services play a central role in people’s lives and bring many benefits, they can also cause real and significant harm, particularly to some of the most vulnerable groups in our society, notably children.
• The Government is committed to tabling a bill to make the internet a safer place for our children and loved ones, and I look forward to working with the Minister of Heritage on this important issue.
• Over the past year, the Government has engaged with people from across the country to ensure that any proposed legislation will protect everyone in Canada while respecting Charter rights.
• Ensuring that everyone in this country can freely and safely express themselves online, without fear of being subject to hateful or violent attack, is a priority for the Government of Canada.

Extradition

• Canada is a country governed by the rule of law. Extradition in Canada is guided by the Extradition Act, international treaties and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
• Canada’s extradition involves a balancing of Canada’s international obligations to bring persons wanted for prosecution or sentencing to justice in the country in which the alleged crime was committed, while safeguarding the rights and interests of the person sought for extradition.
• Canada’s extradition process has been the subject of much scrutiny by the courts, including the Supreme Court of Canada, and is seen as importing some of the highest standards in the world.
• However, there is ongoing merit in exploring whether the process could be improved, including by examining the recommendations of the parliamentary committee on extradition reform.
• I understand that there are various views on how our Extradition Act and related processes could be improved, notably a parliamentary committee report on the issue. I look forward to engaging on those ideas.

If asked on any specific extradition matter:

• Extradition requests are confidential state-to-state communications. It would be inappropriate for me to comment on specific extradition files.

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