Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
Symbol of the Government of Canada

ARCHIVED - Law Commission of Canada


Warning This page has been archived.

Archived Content

Information identified as archived on the Web is for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It has not been altered or updated after the date of archiving. Web pages that are archived on the Web are not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards. As per the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada, you can request alternate formats on the "Contact Us" page.

Section I: Overview

Minister's Message

Photo of Minister Rob NicholsonI submit to you the Law Commission of Canada's Departmental Performance Report for the fiscal year ending March 31st, 2007. This is the final such report, as the Commission ended in December of 2006.  I would like to thank all of those who worked at the Law Commission of Canada for their contribution.

 

 

Rob Nicholson
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada


Management Representation Statement


I submit for tabling in Parliament, the 2006–2007 Departmental Performance Report for the Law Commission of Canada.

This document has been prepared based on the reporting principles contained in the Guide for the Preparation of Part III of the 2006–2007 Estimates: Reports on Plans and Priorities and Departmental Performance Reports:

  • It adheres to the specific reporting requirements outlined in the Treasury Board Secretariat guidance;
  • It is based on the Commission's approved Strategic Outcome and Program Activity Architecture that were approved by the Treasury Board;
  • It presents consistent, comprehensive, balanced and reliable information; 
  • It provides a basis of accountability for the results achieved with the resources and authorities entrusted to it; and
  • It reports finances based on approved numbers from the Estimates and the Public Accounts of Canada.
The summary information on the results of program activities in Section II was prepared based on information contained in the Law Commission of Canada website.

Name:


Title:


Summary Information

Raison d'être

The mandate of the Law Commission of Canada was derived from the Law Commission of Canada Act, which came into force in April 1997. The mandate of the Commission was “to study and keep under systematic review, in a manner that reflects the concepts and institutions of the common and civil law systems, the law of Canada and its effects.”  The Commission was directed under section 3 of the Law Commission of Canada Act to focus on four orientations:

New Concepts of Law: The Commission was to work towards the development of new concepts of law and new approaches to law.

Efficiency and Accessibility: The Commission was to consider measures to make the legal system more efficient, economical and accessible.

Stimulating Critical Debate: The Commission was charged with stimulating critical debate about the law and how it operates in Canadian society. It was encouraged to forge productive networks with academic and other communities to ensure cooperation and coordination in law reform initiatives.

Eliminating Obsolescence and Anomalies: The Commission was to work towards the elimination of obsolescence and anomalies in the current law.

The Law Commission of Canada Act can be found on the Justice Canada's web site at: http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/showtdm/cs/L-6.7 .

Financial Resources (thousands of dollars)


  2006–2007  
Planned Spending Total Authorities Actual Spending
3,173 3,182 2,178

Human Resources (FTEs)


 

2006–2007

 

Planned
11

Actual
7

Difference
4


Departmental Priorities


Status on Performance 2006–2007

Planned Spending

Actual
Spending

Strategic Outcome:
  • Canadian law that reflects the needs and values of Canadians, and is relevant, responsive, effective, equally accessible to all and just.
Priority No. 1:
Make recommendations for law reform (Ongoing)
Program Activity:
Issue the following reports to Parliament:
  • In Search of Security: The Future of Policing in Canada
  • What is a Crime?
Expected Results:
  • Stimulate debate in the government, the media, in other policy forums and in policing institutions about the role of private security agencies and how they should be regulated, identify the need for better communication and partnerships among the police and private security agencies and recommend steps to make this happen.
  • Provide policy makers with a framework that can be used to assess the consequences of choosing criminal law and other intervention strategies in response to unwanted behaviour.
Partially met 350 121
Priority No. 2:
Engage Canadians in law reform (ongoing)
Program Activity:
  • Improve strategic plans to engage Canadians in the law reform process
  • Review and improve the engagement of youth in debates around law reform
  • Prepare a strategy to improve linkages to the media to increase awareness of law reform
  • Host roundtables on exploratory topics
  • Issue a discussion paper accompanied by a documentary video and background paper on Indigenous Legal Traditions
  • Prepare a plain language brochure on Globalization and Law
  • Hold consultation events for Indigenous Legal Traditions, Globalization and Law, Vulnerable Workers and Age and Law
Expected Results:
  • Provide a framework for creating space and recognition for Indigenous legal traditions in Canada
  • Explore new tools of governance to enhance democracy, transparency and accountability given the increasing interdependency of countries and the greater influence of actors other than national governments
  • Provide recommendations to ensure adequate and appropriate support for the promotion of economic security of those engaged in work in the broad sense of the term
  • Provide a framework to support healthy intergenerational relationships by verifying if age is the best criterion in each instance to provide benefits or impose restrictions in law
Partially met 748 410
Priority No. 3:
Conduct leading-edge research
(on-going)
Program Activity:
Establish new, and enhance existing, partnerships with individuals, agencies and organizations both in Canada and around the world, including the following:
  • Research issues arising from consultations on Age and Law and The Vulnerable Worker
  • Research a variety of exploratory topics such as privacy, risk, economic and social rights, right to communication, cultural diversity and access to justice
  • Disseminate research generated by previous research activities
  • Collaborate with the Hague Institute for the Internationalisation of Law on work related to Globalization and Law
  • Continue partnership programs piloted in 2005 with the Canadian Bar Association
Partially met 2,075 1,647