This fonds consists of approximately 13.3 meters of textual material, 12 plans, 30 oversized textual documents (land titles), and 44 audio cassettes.
The bulk of the textual material consists of records from the Directorate and the Policy and Planning divisions. These records include correspondence, working and discussion papers, legislative proposals and other records related to the amendment or enactment of Territorial legislation, including the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Human Rights Act. There are also Deputy Minister and Ministerial chronos, as well as Ministerial briefing books.
There are records regarding conferences organized by the department, as well as correspondence and reports related to the reorganization of the Department, including documentation of Corrections and Lands Titles functions to the department, planning for division, aboriginal self-government, as well as Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and services agreements between Justice and the Department of Social Services. There are records that document a gender equality review, amendments to the definition of spouse under the Family Law Act and Adoption Act, an investigative report on hiring practices in two correctional facilities, and a public awareness campaign about crystal meth, as well as records that document the Task Force on Legal Aid, and court reforms. The records also include judicial decisions of the Labour Standards Board for 2004-2005. As well, there are program review files, training proposals, discussion papers, action plans and reports from the following programs and divisions: Justice of the Peace program, Legal Services Board, Labour Standards Board, Territorial Firearms Officer, Maintenance Enforcement Program, Coroner’s Office, Corrections Division, Rental Office, Court Library and Court Reporters.
Records from the Liquor Licensing Board include sound recordings of board meetings with associated hearings and public meetings.
There are records from the Finance division regarding third-party funding agreements.
There are records from the Corrections Program including a review of Young Offender facilities in the NWT, and material from a conference that was hosted by the Department of Justice on forecasting correctional prison and supervision populations and community corrections. There are also records concerning strategic planning for the Department of Justice, development of the Youth Corrections Manual, as well as copies of Insight Newsletter which was a newsletter produced by the Yellowknife Correctional Centre. In addition, there are files concerning the transfer and implementation of Corrections services to Nunavut, a report from the Yellowknife Correctional Centre Inmate Advisory Committee requesting an Aboriginal Healing program, and copies of an operational review that was done by a consultant called "View of the Future of Social Services for the NWT," an annual report from the Mackenzie Courtworkers Service, minutes from Warden’s meetings and the Youth Justice Committee, and a manual produced for community-based Youth Justice Committees.
There are records from the Community Justice Division, including contribution and protocol agreements. These agreements include proposals or submissions made under the Victims Services Contribution Agreement Program, Victim Assistance Fund or Community Justice Committee Program and include copies of proposals, activity reports and final reports from communities and organizations that received funding under these programs. In addition, there program implementation and evaluation files for the Community Constable Program, Victims Impact Statement program, as well as discussion papers about the Community Justice program, strategic framework for the Victims Services Program, and an evaluation report on the Community Constable Program.
This fonds also includes committee records from the following: Legislation and House Planning Committee, Legislation Proposal Review Committee, Corrections Consolidation Advisory Committee, Aboriginal Justice Committee, Criminal Justice and Corrections Communications Committee, Community Supervision Working Group, Labour Standards Board and records related to meetings and negotiations held between senior management and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), as well as a file related to the RCMP Special Constable program.
Also included in this fonds are 30 land grants, titles and transfers dating from 1913-1951. These documents are primarily oversized text documents, affixed with wax seals and ribbon. High-resolution digital .tif images of all 30 land title documents are available for reference purposes.
In addition, there are 12 bound settlement plans that originated from the Registries and Court Services Division. The plans are of settlement lots for the communities of Fort Smith, Fort Resolution, Hay River, Fort Providence, Fort Simpson, Fort Norman, Fort Good Hope, Fort Liard, Fort Rae, Fort Wrigley, and Fort McPherson. The plans are dated between 1898-1915. Also included from the division are the meeting minutes of the Court Management Committee and correspondence with the Status of Women Council regarding the usage of plain language in court orders.
The fonds also contains miscellaneous papers and reports including the “Conrad Report”, a working paper on amending the Jury Act and paper entitled "Study of Time Factors Involved in the Disposition of Cases in the Territorial Court, Northwest Territories" by Judge R.M. Bourassa.
There is also one file that originated from Vital Statistics entitled 'The Mad Trapper.' The file includes correspondence between the Registrar General of Vital Statistics and those seeking inquiries regarding the death and possible disinterment of the Mad Trapper, Albert Johnson. Also included are copies of the Warrant to Bury Albert Johnson at Aklavik issued in February 1932. A copy of Dick North's report on the question of Johnson's true identity, entitled 'Exhumation of Albert Johnson' is also included.
Northwest Territories. Department of Justice (1985-present)