Thank you, Mr. Chair, and good morning everyone. Gilakas'la.
I want to start by acknowledging the territory of the Algonquin people. Certainly, I want to thank all members of the justice and human rights committee for the work that you have undertaken thus far and the agenda that you have in front of you.
I also want to acknowledge parliamentary secretaries Sean Casey and Bill Blair, who have been very helpful in assisting with respect to our mandate commitments and moving forward with them.
I am pleased to appear before the committee this morning to answer questions about the 2016-17 main estimates. As you indicated, Mr. Chair, I'm joined by Bill Pentney and Don Piragoff, who will also be able to answer the questions of committee members.
This past March, as you know, deputy minister Pentney attended a meeting of this very committee and discussed the supplementary estimates. I understand that at that meeting he provided an overview of the history and the mandates of the Department of Justice. Given that you are now already familiar with the business lines of the department, today I would like to talk to you about what I hope to accomplish in my role, and my vision for how the Department of Justice will help contribute to the vision of an improved justice system with funds presented in these 2016-17 main estimates.
Through the 2016-17 main estimates, the department requested a total budgetary authority of $678.9 million. This represents an increase of $4.99 million over the 2015-16 main estimates. Of this total authority, $400.5 million will be dedicated to ensuring a fair, relevant, and accessible Canadian justice system, one of the department's strategic outcomes.
Most of this funding is directed to the provinces and territories in support of the stewardship of the Canadian legal framework. In addition, as the primary legal services provider for the government, the department is seeking $199.6 million to continue to effectively support government programs.
Mr. Chairman, one of my primary roles is to ensure that there is respect for the rule of law and that the Charter of Rights and Freedoms is upheld. This was a key part of my mandate letter from the Prime Minister.
Equally important to me is ensuring that all Canadians have access to a fair, modern, and efficient justice system. On March 21 the government revealed its spending plan for 2016-17, which contains measures that will help Canadians assert their rights and provide disadvantaged Canadians with access to our justice system.
To accomplish this, budget 2016 proposes to provide an additional $4 million per year to the aboriginal court worker program, which assists indigenous people moving through the criminal justice system to better understand their rights and the nature of the charges against them.
It also helps those involved in administering the criminal justice system to overcome language and cultural barriers when dealing with indigenous peoples and to better appreciate the socio-economic circumstances that they face.
In addition, the government plans to reinstate the court challenges program, which I know this committee is studying, and provide $12 million over five years in financial assistance to individuals and groups that wish to clarify their language and equality rights in Canada's courts. When combined with the existing federal investments, total funding would be $5 million annually.
Budget 2016 also provides $88 million over five years to increase funding in support of the provision of criminal legal aid in Canada, as well as $7.9 million over five years for the courts administration service to invest in information technology infrastructure upgrades to safeguard the efficiency of the federal court system.
Mr. Chairman, improving partnerships with provincial, territorial, and municipal governments, as stated in my mandate letter, is essential to deliver the real positive change that we promised Canadians. To that end, I met with my provincial and territorial justice and public safety colleagues in January of this year. I believe that that meeting has allowed us to establish the partnerships we will draw on over the coming months and years in order to create a meaningful difference in the lives of Canadians.
Canada's continued success absolutely depends on including multiple voices as we re-evaluate our approach to important legislative matters, such as marijuana legalization and regulation, reform of our criminal justice system, and, most recently, legislation to ensure that dying patients who are suffering intolerably from a serious medical condition would have the choice of medical assistance in death.
This work requires true partnership between the federal government and the provinces and territories, which can be achieved only by sitting down together and engaging in open and continuous dialogue, sharing our knowledge, and bringing a range of perspectives to the table.
However, perhaps the most challenging but most necessary area we need to focus on is rebuilding the nation-to-nation relationship that lies at the heart of Canada. The importance of this relationship to me and to this nation with respect to indigenous peoples cannot be overstated. As you know, this is a priority of our government, and we are working to find long-term solutions in full partnership with indigenous peoples as we develop a new framework for reconciliation based on recognition and respect.
Mr. Chairman, in Canada there is an unacceptable overrepresentation of indigenous women and girls who go missing or who have become victims of violence. In line with our commitment to launch a national inquiry into this matter, budget 2016 would allocate $40 million over two years to support this important work. Along with working with my colleagues on this inquiry, the Department of Justice, through its main estimates allocations for 2016-17, would be allocating $1.98 million to the government's action plan to address family violence and violent crimes against indigenous women and girls, as stated in the main estimates. By providing important support for projects to break cycles of violence and for culturally responsive victims services, this program will help make Canada more just and inclusive for indigenous peoples.
As a steward of Canada's justice system, I take my responsibilities and accountabilities in this role very seriously. As a government, we have begun to re-examine what we do, why we do it, and how we can measure success. We are identifying what is working, what is not working, and how we can best change it. The government intends to work in an open and transparent way with all of its partners to create an environment that will position us to achieve the best possible solutions on these and other issues that affect the lives of all Canadians. For example, as mentioned in budget 2016, there are plans for consultations on a framework for the legalization of marijuana, with special emphasis on how to keep marijuana out of the hands of children and youth.
My mandate letter also tasks me to review Canada's litigation strategy. As part of this review, we have already either discontinued appeals or are reconsidering the crown's position in many cases. This will ensure that the government's litigation positions are evidence- and principle-based, as well as consistent with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, our commitments, and our values as Canadians.
Mr. Chairman, just to return to the subject of the 2016-17 main estimates, this funding will help our department continue to provide the funding to programs such as the victims Fund, the youth justice fund, and the aboriginal justice strategy, which fulfill our mandate to ensure a fair and accessible justice system for all Canadians.
Finally, the Department of Justice is investigating ways to be more efficient. This includes constantly reviewing the effectiveness of our own business practices and systems. I am pleased to report today that, through our ongoing legal services review, we have decreased our budgetary requests this year by $3.36 million.
Mr. Chairman, as I stated earlier, I am truly honoured to be Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada in this incredibly important period in our history and to do my part to give back to our country through public service.
By continuing to report on our progress and to demonstrate openness and transparency in this matter and others, my department is helping to contribute to improving our justice system. We believe this will lead to better collaboration, better government, and great success for Canada and Canadians.
I would like to conclude where I started, by thanking the members of this committee, recognizing that each member has expertise in particular areas and will contribute substantively to the discussion that takes place at this committee.
I would invite any questions or comments the committee members may have.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
