Open Government Portal

Canada's Department of Justice is a publication providing an overview of our mission, our role, who we are, what we do, how we encourage innovation and involvement and where further information can be found.

More specifically, our mission is:

support the Minister of Justice in working to ensure that Canada is a just and law-abiding society with an accessible, efficient and fair system of justice;
provide high-quality legal services and counsel to the government and to client departments and agencies; and
promote respect for rights and freedoms, the law and the Consitution.

We are working to ensure the Department of Justice work environment remains healthy, safe and secure for our employees during the COVID-19 situation. We are also committed to making sure everyone can easily access the latest confirmed information and guidance from health authorities and departments leading the federal response.

On this page you will find links to resources and messaging about a variety of COVID-19 topics as they relate to your work, your health, the courts, and the current situation.

The Department of Justice Canada’s Transition Book speaks to the three distinctive roles played by the Department. The department’s roles are to act as: policy department with broad responsibilities for overseeing all matters relating to the administration of justice that fall within the federal domain; provider of a range of legal advisory, litigation, and legislative services to government departments and agencies; and central agency responsible for supporting the Minister in advising Cabinet on all legal matters including the constitutionality of government initiatives and activities. The Ministerial Transition binders also address the organization structure of the Department and the financial duties and responsibilities given to the Department of Justice alongside the unique programs held under the portfolio of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice including providing Legal Services to the Government and supporting a bilingual and bijural system of Justice. Further, the Ministerial transition Book addresses organizations related to the Department of Justice and the roles they play one of which is the Canadian Bar Association, a professional, voluntary organization that represents more than 37 000 lawyers and concerns itself with the carriage of justice and maintain the rule of law.

This report summarizes discussions held during the roundtables. It highlights best practices, challenges and suggested improvements. It highlights best practices, challenges and suggested improvements. This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the Government of Canada.

From 2016 to 2019, the Department of Justice Canada reached out to young Canadians for their views on justice issues. The youth selected for these youth engagement projects were not provided with specialized training or information, but their opinions and perspectives on justice issues can inform policy decisions, including public information campaigns.

The briefing document listed below was prepared for the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada. Additional material will be added as it becomes available. Please note the document has been processed under the Access to Information Act and certain information has been withheld from disclosure in accordance with the exemptions and exclusions in the Act. The Department of Justice Canada’s Transition Book speaks to the three distinctive roles played by the Department.

The Department of Justice Canada created the first performance monitoring framework (“the Framework”) for Canada’s criminal justice system in 2019. The Framework identified broad expected outcomes, measured by key indicators. The State of the Criminal Justice System Report presents quantitative data on indicators form the Framework. The inaugural State of the Criminal Justice System Report (2019) provided a comprehensive analysis of criminal justice system performance across key indicators.

The briefing document listed below was prepared for the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada. Additional material will be added as it becomes available. Please note the document has been processed under the Access to Information Act and certain information has been withheld from disclosure in accordance with the exemptions and exclusions in the Act. The Department of Justice Canada’s Transition Book speaks to the three distinctive roles played by the Department.

In consultation and cooperation with Indigenous and provincial and territorial partners, Justice Canada is developing an Indigenous Justice Strategy to address systemic discrimination and the overrepresentation of Indigenous people in the justice system.
In the spirit of reconciliation, and out of respect for Indigenous rights to self-determination, Justice Canada recognizes that the development of an Indigenous Justice Strategy must be informed by First Nations, Inuit and Métis.
Working closely with Indigenous partners on the development of an Indigenous Justice Strategy will be an opportunity to inform and put in place effective and concrete measures, informed by the lived experiences of First Nations, Inuit and Métis, to improve Canada’s justice system.
The Indigenous Justice Strategy will be developed in five phases.

The Department of Justice Canada's 2020 Blueprint Progress Report for December 2016 updates Canadians and employees about initiatives being undertaken to improve employee wellbeing, increase transparency and collaboration. The primary focuses of the update are: building on personal and organizational commitments to mental health and wellness, the onboarding and retention of new employees; moving towards a Department that is Open by Default, using evidence based decision making in litigation, and promoting openness and innovation to transform legal services and service delivery to Canadians.