Goals, Objectives, Strategies and Results
Overview of Ministry Goals
Justice System Goals
- A ministry that is a leader in law reform and innovative justice processes
- An effective criminal justice system
- Effective civil and family justice systems
- Effective legal services enabling government to administer public affairs in accordance with the law
Multiculturalism and Immigration Goal
- Effective immigrant settlement and adaptation services, and multiculturalism and anti racism initiatives
Linkage to the Five Great Goals
Government’s Five Great Goals for the Golden Decade
- Make British Columbia the best educated, most literate jurisdiction on the continent.
- Lead the way in North America in healthy living and physical fitness.
- Build the best system of support in Canada for persons with disabilities, those with special needs, children at risk and seniors.
- Lead the world in sustainable environmental management, with the best air and water quality, and the best fisheries management, bar none.
- Create more jobs per capita than anywhere else in Canada.
The justice system is a vital component of a democratic society. An effective justice system based on the rule of law provides a solid foundation to help sustain and foster social stability and economic growth. Healthy business and personal relationships, based on fairness and equality, are reinforced when everyone in the community has confidence that their relationships with others — including government — are supported by a legal system that is just. This requires a system that is fair, timely, secure and accessible. It requires a system that is reliable and consistently enforces the civil and criminal law and supports public safety.
The Ministry of Attorney General’s role is to support and strengthen this essential foundation so that government’s vision for a prosperous and just province can be realized and so that all Five Great Goals can be achieved. The ministry’s goals, objectives and strategies reflect this role.
In addition, the ministry contributes specifically to Great Goals 1, 3 and 5, as shown in the examples below.
Great Goal 1:
- Adult English language training to help immigrants participate in social and economic opportunities.
Great Goal 3:
- Human Rights: The direct access model, which removed the commission as gatekeeper and allows direct access to the Human Rights Tribunal, has improved the province’s human rights system. The ministry funds the Human Rights Clinic to provide assistance to eligible complainants and respondents.
- Personal Planning and Adult Guardianship: The ministry is consulting on proposals for personal planning instruments and on modern adult guardianship.
- Integrated Criminal Justice Strategy: The ministry is working with the justice sector to develop a strategy that encourages components of the justice system to work more closely together and with the community.
- Children’s Agenda: Ministry strategies to support the Children’s Agenda are discussed below under cross ministry initiatives.
Great Goal 5:
- Multiculturalism and anti-racism public education initiatives to raise awareness, support diversity, and maximize the social and economic benefits of immigration.
Cross Ministry Initiatives
Ministry strategies support the following cross ministry initiatives.
Children’s Agenda:
- Family Maintenance Enforcement Program: Collects and distributes over $125 million annually in child maintenance payments. Assists families and reduces reliance on public income assistance.
- Family Justice Services: Counsellors assist families undergoing separation and divorce with a wide array of services to ensure better outcomes for children.
- Child Protection Mediation Program: In conjunction with Ministry of Children and Family Development, provides mediation services in child protection cases under the Child, Family and Community Service Act. Mediation allows quicker settlement of issues and children involved spending less time in care, with resulting savings.
- The Public Guardian and Trustee and the Child and Youth Officer: These two independent agencies directly support the Children’s Agenda and report to the Attorney General.
- Bill C-2: Vulnerable Witness Provisions: Will permit testimony from vulnerable witnesses — children in particular — to be given in a safe situation such as via videoconferencing.
A New Relationship with First Nations:
- The ministry is working with Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation to define legislation and operational procedures to meet honour of the Crown requirements.
Crystal Meth:
- Ministry leads the federal/provincial/territorial component of this initiative — specifically, a review of crystal meth use, production and trafficking.
ActNow, Asia-Pacific Strategy, Literacy and 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games: The following ministry strategies support all four cross ministry initiatives.
- Settlement services and language training for immigrants.
- Lead a coordinated cross-government approach to cultural diversity and immigration issues in the province. Involves the Ministries of Advanced Education, Education, Economic Development, Employment and Income Assistance, Finance and Attorney General as well as Intergovernmental Relations.
- A multiculturalism theme for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (with the Multicultural Advisory Council and the Ministry of Economic Development).
