Justice ministers’ meeting wraps up in Kananaskis

By Canadian Press on October 17, 2025.

OTTAWA — A two-day meeting of ministers responsible for justice and public safety at the federal, provincial and territorial levels is set to wrap up in Kananaskis, Alta. today after discussions ranging from bail reform to the role of victims in the criminal justice system.

Federal Justice Minister Sean Fraser said it was an opportunity for every province and territory to be represented in discussions about “all of the issues in Canada that touch on justice and public safety.”

Fraser told The Canadian Press Thursday those discussions also covered the three justice bills the federal government is bringing forward this fall.

In September, the Liberals introduced a bill targeting hate crimes, and Fraser is set to introduce next week a bill imposing tougher bail and sentencing standards for violent crime.

The government developed that legislation based on suggestions from law enforcement and the premiers, Fraser said. Both of those groups have pushed for tougher bail laws.

He said “lengthy” conversations about bail and sentencing would be reflected in that bill, and discussions about gender-based violence will inform a separate bill that will follow later this fall.

That third bill will address a number of issues, including intimate partner violence, sexual offences, online exploitation of children, the role of victims in the criminal trial process and court system delays, Fraser said.

He said the justice ministers also met with representatives of national Indigenous organizations “to ensure that as we advance legal reforms in Canada that we reflect the needs and interests of Indigenous peoples.”

Fraser said the ministers also discussed human trafficking and “strengthening the border to protect against the inflow of drugs and guns from the United States into Canada,” he said.

Fraser said the “real work is going to follow in the weeks and months after we break from the conversations this week.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2025.

Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press