Fonds consists of records created and/or maintained by the Solicitor General Secretariat and its predecessors. Researchers are cautioned that unprocessed textual records and records in other media are not reflected in this description.
Audio-visual material is described in the series entitled Library and Reference Centre.
Canada. Solicitor General Canada. Ministry Secretariat : The Department of the Solicitor General was created in 1966. Its legal existence was based on the Government Organization Act, 1966 (SC 1966-67, c.25, s.2) and the Department of the Solicitor General Act (RSC 1985, c.S-13, s.2). The goal in creating the Department was to bring the major federal operational elements concerned with the administration of the criminal justice system under the direction and supervision of the Solicitor General.
The Office of Solicitor General of Canada was created on 3 December 1892 by an Act which designated the Solicitor General as an officer to assist the Minister of Justice. The office did not become a Cabinet post until 2 October 1915. The Office of Solicitor General remained a cabinet post until 23 October 1935 when it was abolished. From this date until 1945, the Office did not exist, and its former responsibilities were taken over by the Office of the Attorney General of Canada. The Solicitor General Act of 1945 reestablished the Office. At the same time, the Solicitor General became a cabinet post again. In 2005 the Department of the Solicitor General Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. S-13) was repealed with effect from 2005-04-04 and subject to the terms of the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Act (S.C. 2005, c. 10) the Solicitor General became the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, and all staff previously members of the Office of the Solicitor General became members of the new department.
The Solicitor General was the Cabinet minister with primary responsibility in the fields of corrections and law enforcement. He/she was also responsible for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Correctional Service of Canada, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, and the National Parole Board. These bodies are independent agencies that report to Parliament through the Solicitor General.
The Department of the Solicitor General was comprised of the Secretariat, which provides strategic and corporate advice to the Solicitor General, and develops policy in the areas of police, security, counter-terrorism, and corrections.
