Justice and Public Safety Mandate Letter

Honourable Bloyce Thompson
Minister of Justice and Public Safety
4th Floor Shaw South
PO Box 2000
Charlottetown, PE C1A 7N8

Dear Minister Thompson,

I am pleased to have you serve as the Minister of Justice & Public Safety and Attorney General.   

On April 3, 2023, we were given a mandate by Islanders to continue to work towards building a brighter, bolder, and better future for our province.  We made a commitment to work with Islanders, and for Islanders – and that motto should be the basis of how you conduct yourself in your actions as Minister.  We must engage Islanders, have real conversations, and put the interest of Islanders at the heart of every decision we make as a government.

Over the last four years, we have proven to Islanders that we can navigate many challenges.  We must continue to show courage, strength and above all else, leadership when it comes to the challenges we are faced with.   Change is sometimes difficult, but with your proven ability to stand up and meet challenges head-on, I’m confident that you will make the best decisions to move our province forward.  

Our government has always led with positivity and has served with humility and kindness.  I expect this to continue in our second mandate.   We have shifted the political landscape in PEI to be more collaborative in nature.  I have always said, it doesn’t matter where good ideas come from – if it’s a good idea, and it improves the lives of Islanders – we should consider it.   I want you to have regular communication with your legislative colleagues on all sides of the Legislature to provide opportunities for input and feedback.

As Minister, you and your leadership team will play a critical role in contributing to the commitments we have made to Islanders.  You are responsible for the conduct of the departments you oversee and must be aware and adhere to the values of the public service in your interactions with the Islanders and the public service.  Most importantly, you have Cabinet Colleagues that serve alongside of you; whenever and wherever possible, you should work collaboratively with them to break down silos and reduce barriers to accessing services by working together across Departments.  

As Minister of Justice and Public Safety, you will:

• Establish a Community Legal Clinic to increase access to justice including legal representation;
• Create a multi-sectoral task force to develop an action plan to address cyberbullying behaviour and promote cyber-safety;
• Provide $500,000 in funding for Community Legal Information to continue their work on intimate partner violence, workplace sexual harassment, and cyberbullying;
• Enhance partnerships with communities, volunteer fire departments, and first responders to ensure effective and appropriate responses;
• Complete and publish an After Action Review of the response to Post-Tropical Storm Fiona;
• Conduct an operational model and governance review of PEI Emergency Measures Organization (EMO) and ensure proper staff and resources are available through EMO to provide leadership for future emergency situations;
• Enhance community policing efforts by working with municipalities and municipal police forces to address their workforce challenges and expand local training and return-in-service opportunities with the Atlantic Police Academy;
• Design and implement PEI’s first Domestic Violence Court service;
• Enhance collaboration between Victim Services and Family Law Services to provide integrated responses to families during these traumatic experiences;
• Improve consumer protections through financial sector oversight and improve prevention and reduction of financial crime and regulatory misconduct by strengthening legislation and regulations, creating processes, and improving procedural fairness;
• Design and implement approaches to prevent and disrupt crime in our communities, including collaborative policing responses across municipal and provincial agencies;
• Continue to implement the province's first sexual violence strategy;
• Establish a Minister's advisory committee on crime prevention and policing, including policing and community membership;
• Continue implementation of the recommendations of the Mid-Point Evaluation of the 2017 Crime Prevention and Policing Review;
• Modernize substitute decision-making legislation and service delivery;
• Adapt justice and public safety services and facilities to meet the demands of an increased and diverse population; and
• Increase BIPOC representation and advancement in the stakeholder community in the Justice and Public Safety system.

While you accomplish your work, I ask that you assess the impacts of each policy decision by using evidence-based tools and frameworks to ensure we always consider the impacts on climate, gender, diversity, and vulnerable individuals before implementing a decision.  

As we progress through our mandate, we will work together to identify further refinement and priorities of focus.  We must be nimble as a government and be able to adapt to the realities of what Islanders are facing each and every day. To do this, I ask that you have regular outreach with key stakeholders connected to your department and the work that your department does.  Along with the leadership in your department, I ask that you regularly communicate with stakeholders and community organizations.  

I look forward to working with you to improve the lives of all Islanders.

Sincerely,

Hon. Dennis King
Premier of Prince Edward Island

CC.     Jonah Clements, Deputy Minister – Department of Justice & Public Safety and Deputy Attorney General