Minister of Justice to Attend Sixth Annual Meeting of the Quintet of Attorneys General: Event Provides a Forum for Discussion on a Range of Crime and Justice Issues That Transcend Borders

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - July 9, 2014) - Justice Canada

Minister of Justice and Attorney General Peter MacKay will take part in the 6^th annual meeting of the Quintet of Attorneys General, which will be held in London, England, from July 9 to 11, 2014. Minister MacKay will be joined by his counterparts from Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States - countries with which Canada shares democratic values, legal traditions, and similar justice system challenges.

Since its first meeting in 2009, the Quintet has proven to be a productive and effective forum for collaboration between Canada's Attorney General and the principal legal officers of some of Canada's key international partners. This year's meeting will once again provide participants with an opportunity to share knowledge and information about issues of common interest.

The theme of the 2014 Quintet is cybercrime. Minister MacKay will lead a discussion on cyberbullying - an issue which has no borders, but has grave impacts on our communities. He will also raise the important issue of impaired driving during an open discussion session at the meeting.

In addition to group discussions, on the final day of the event Minister MacKay will participate in one-on-one bilateral meetings with each of the other participating Attorneys General.

Quick Facts

• Minister MacKay will be joined at the Quintet by:
  • Senator the Honourable George Brandis Q.C., Attorney General (Australia)
  • The Honourable Christopher Finlayson, Q.C., Attorney General (New Zealand)
  • The Right Honourable Dominic Grieve, Q.C., M.P., Attorney General (United Kingdom)
  • Eric Holder, Attorney General (United States of America).
• This will be the second time the meeting has been hosted in London, as the inaugural meeting was held there in 2009.
• Previous meetings have also been held in Washington, D.C. (April 2010), Sydney, Australia (July 2011), Ottawa (June 2012) and Auckland, New Zealand (May 2013).

Quotes

"I am honoured, as Attorney General, to represent Canada at my first Quintet. In a climate of increased change on the world stage, which has ripple effects on our communities, it is imperative that we work closely with our allies on important issues of crime and justice. I look forward to the opportunity to collaborate with my counterparts to find new and innovative ways to more adequately tackle crime and better protect law-abiding citizens around the globe."

Peter MacKay

Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

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