Justice Canada

January 1, 2000

The Past 25 Years

Since 1975, the Department of Justice has been increasingly concerned with human rights both at home and abroad. In 1977, for example, the Canadian Human Rights Act - drafted by the Department's lawyers - came into force.

But the centerpiece of the department's efforts was the patriation of the Constitution in 1982 and the entrenchment of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Since its signing, many have argued that the Charter of Rights and Freedoms stands above any other human rights milestone in the 20th Century. In anticipation of the charter's influence, the Department of Justice created the Human Rights Law Section. The section provides legal opinions on the interpretation and application of all federal legislation with Human Rights and Charter implications.

Drafting the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms wasn't easy. Department lawyers worked tirelessly to write, revise and finalize the text of the Charter - all while trying to balance the concerns of their provincial counterparts, special interest groups, and ordinary citizens.

The result was a Charter that strives to protect and balance the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Canadians. And it does its job well.

Other important milestones in the past 25 years include the Access to Information Act, which gives Canadians a right to information in government records, and the Privacy Act , which protects them against the disclosure of personal information.

The Department of Justice's accomplishments have not gone unnoticed. In 1985, the Nielsen Task Force on Program Review published its report re-affirming the Department's pre-eminence in the administration of justice. As a result, the Department of Justice was entrusted with some responsibilities that had been with the Solicitor General since 1966. Among these duties were those relating to young offenders, firearms, and international criminal justice.

Today, the Department of Justice is involved in a multitude of initiatives aimed at ensuring a safer and fairer world. Some of these initiatives include the following:

Youth Justice Renewal

• strengthening efforts at rehabilitating young people who commit crimes
• distinguishing between violent and non-violent offenders
• offering alternatives to custody for non-violent offenders

Aboriginal Justice

• self-government negotiations by the department's Aboriginal Justice Directorate, focusing on the administration of justice
• community-based justice programs, using alternative methods of dispute resolution

The Gender Equality Initiative

• aimed at preventing and eliminating systemic discrimination in the Department of Justice

War Crimes

• working with Citizenship and Immigration and the RCMP, the Department of Justice investigates allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity to deport or prosecute offenders

International Training Programs

• supporting other nations in their efforts to reform their system of justice
• nations include South Africa, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, as well as French speaking Africa
• In 1995-96, the DOJ delivered with France, Haiti and the US, a two year training program for judges at the National School of Magistrates in Haiti

Want to know more? Check out the overview of
Recent Activities and Departmental Achievements

Justice Facts

52.5% of the Department of Justice's 801 lawyers are men, and 47.5% are women

63.5% of the Department of Justice's employees are anglophone, and 36.5% are francophone

48% of all departmental employees are 39 years of age or younger, 47% are between the ages of 40 and 54, and 5% are over 55 years of age

10.9% of the Department of Justice's workforce are members of groups affected by employment equity - 2.8% are Aboriginal, 3.3% are persons with disabilities, and 4.9% are from a visible minority group.

Minister of Justice Martin Cauchon