Department of Justice Canada Minister's Transition Book
Welcome to Justice
Introduction
The Department of Justice Canada is a medium-sized government department, comprising approximately 5000 employees. Roughly half of the Department’s staff are lawyers; the other half includes experts in fields such as research, social sciences and communications, as well as paralegals and support staff.
In addition to its headquarters in Ottawa, the Department provides services across the country through six regional offices: Atlantic Region, Quebec Region, Ontario Region, Prairie Region, British Columbia Region and Northern Region. Staff at these regional offices provide legal services and support to federal departments and agencies outside of the National Capital Region.
The Department of Justice supports the dual roles of the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General of Canada with respect to responsibility for 53 statutes and areas of federal law. The Department fulfils three distinctive roles within the Government of Canada, acting as the following:
- A policy department with broad responsibilities for overseeing all matters relating to the administration of justice that fall within the federal domain, such as criminal law and judicial affairs;
- A provider of a range of legal advisory, litigation and legislative services to government departments and agencies; and
- A central agency responsible for supporting the Minister in advising Cabinet on all legal matters, including the constitutionality of government initiatives and activities.
Justice Canada plays a central role in maintaining a just and democratic society.
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