Strategic Context

This section describes the external and internal factors that have affected Ministry operations during the 2005/2006 reporting year.

External Factors

Justice System

  • The Ministry is only one of many participants in the justice sector. Neither it nor the province has, nor should have, full control or authority. The Criminal Code is federal legislation administered by the province. Criminal, civil and family justice system participants such as judges, the police and Crown counsel must act and make decisions independently and free from interference. Yet all participants must work together to ensure a fair system that serves the public interest and is open to public scrutiny.
  • The federal and provincial governments have responded to the public's demand for increased policing and stronger action against property and violent crime. This has an impact on all components of the justice sector, including the Ministry and affects the allocation of resources for the justice system.
  • British Columbia, by virtue of its geographic location, offers mobility and anonymity for some newer types of serious crime such as human trafficking. Globalization and technology affect the nature of crime to which the justice system must respond and enables the expansion of crime across national and international borders.
  • Criminal prosecutions increasingly require the analysis of large volumes of documents and technical evidence and a greater use of expert witnesses, all of which affect prosecutorial capacity.
  • The complexity or number of criminal cases for which publicly-funded legal representation is required may necessitate the reallocation of Ministry resources.
  • Increasing cost and procedural complexity of civil litigation erodes timeliness and public access to the courts. Civil justice reform and alternatives for dispute resolution and problem solving are required to maintain credibility and effectiveness of the justice system.
  • The high rate of family breakdown affects individuals, including children, and places a great demand on the Ministry's family justice resources, necessitating family justice system reforms.

Multiculturalism and Immigration

  • British Columbia continues to be a favoured destination for immigrants and temporary residents, including international students. As the total number of immigrants has increased, the total number of those without official language ability also increased. Changing trends in the country of origin have also greatly increased the need for more English language training and settlement and adaptation services.
  • The province's current and future labour shortages, and the fact that recent immigrants are experiencing lower rates of employment and lower initial earnings than have previous immigrants, challenge federal, provincial and local governments to work together to attract and serve immigrants and to support multicultural, anti-racism and immigration settlement initiatives.
  • British Columbia has the highest percentage per capita of visible minorities in Canada. The province's linguistic and cultural diversity provides a strong foundation on which to build a model of inclusivity for the world to experience during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and to demonstrate leadership in promoting cultural diversity.

Internal Factors

In 2005/06, government established the following Five Great Goals:

  1. Make British Columbia the best-educated, most literate jurisdiction on the continent.
  2. Lead the way in North America in healthy living and physical fitness.
  3. Build the best system of support in Canada for persons with disabilities, those with special needs, children at risk, and seniors.
  4. Lead the world in sustainable environmental management, with the best air and water quality, and the best fisheries management, bar none.
  5. Create more jobs per capita than anywhere else in Canada.
  • Ministry linkages to the Five Great Goals are as follows:
    • The justice system is part of the foundation required for social stability and prosperity in the province. An effective justice system is essential to help achieve government's strategic directions, the Five Great Goals and the vision for a prosperous and just province.
    • Key Ministry programs support the following cross-Ministry initiatives: Children's Agenda, ActNow, Asia-Pacific Strategy, Literacy and the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
  • The Ministry has highly professional, knowledgeable and dedicated staff and a culture of problem-solving where innovation and collaboration are highly valued.
  • The Ministry encourages strong working relationships with key stakeholders and colleagues, both external and internal to government.
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