Access to Justice in Both Official Languages Support Fund
Overview
In 2003, the federal government unveiled its Action Plan for Official Languages. The Action Plan contains various initiatives aimed at promoting linguistic duality in Canada. In the Action Plan, the Department of Justice made commitments aimed at improving access to justice in both official languages, namely:
- to provide funding for various projects to be carried out with the assistance of government and non-government partners;
- to provide stable funding for French-speaking lawyers associations and their national federation;
- to create a mechanism for consultation with minority official language communities; and,
- to develop tools for the training of the Department of Justice's legal counsels in the area of language rights.
In order to meet some of these commitments, in 2003, the Department established the Access to Justice in Both Official Languages Support Fund (Support Fund).
Objectives
The overall goal of the Support Fund is to create an increasingly relevant and accessible justice system that will meet the needs of Canadians by ensuring better access to justice in both official languages.
All activities of the Fund, including project funding must be consistent with the overall goal and objectives of the Fund, which are as follows:
- Increase the capacity of the Department's partners to develop innovative solutions to emerging access to justice in both official languages related issues.
- Raise awareness among the legal community and the official languages minority communities on the exercise of their rights and the issues related to access to justice in both official languages.
Activities
In terms of funding available for projects, the Fund focuses on activities that will contribute to improving the implementation of the Criminal Code' s language provisions.
Applicants are encouraged to consult a research study made public in 2002 entitled Environmental Scan: Access to Justice in Both Official Languages. The study provides a list of recommendations unique to each province and territory aimed at improving access to justice at the provincial/territorial and federal level. Most of the recommendations at the federal level can be linked to improving the implementation of the Criminal Code's language provisions. Consequently, the Department relies on the study as a guide in determining which projects are most likely to improve access to justice in both official languages in a particular province or territory.
Recommendations made in the report include the provision of training in legal terminology; the need to make official language minority communities, legal communities and governments aware of language rights and issues related to official languages, including taking measures in criminal proceedings to ensure that accused persons are informed of their right to a trial in their own official language; the need to provide forms and documentation in both official languages; and, the need to use new technologies.
Projects should also propose a new approach that is different from traditional methods, meet the particular needs of a given population consistent with the region's demography and, be carried out in partnership with other organizations— governments, universities, jurilinguistic centres or others.
The Fund cannot be used to cover the costs of translation of provincial/territorial legal or legislative texts and is not intended to cover the costs of basic language training. Funding can only be provided for a maximum of three years.
Access to Justice in Both Official Languages Support Fund
Who is eligible?
The following classes of recipients are eligible for funding:
- National, provincial, municipal, regional, community or professional organizations, societies or associations which have voluntarily associated themselves for a non-profit purpose, that have a mandate to represent their membership or community;
- Provincial, territorial, regional and municipal governments, including associated Crown corporations;
- Canadian institutions/boards of education, including Centres for jurilinguistics.
Individuals are not eligible for funding.
How to Apply
When completing the application form, please refer to the guide entitled " How to Apply for Funding - A Guide to Preparing a Proposal ". The guide provides detailed information on all the items that you are required to address in the application form.
This form, once completed, contains all the necessary information to allow us to fully assess the merits of the proposal.
Contact Information
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Programs Branch
Department of Justice Canada
284 Wellington Street, 6th floor
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H8
Telephone: (613) 957-4452
Fax: (613) 941-2269
E-mail: prgmbranch@justice.gc.ca
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