OTTAWA, June 15, 2012 – The Honourable Rob Nicholson, P.C., Q.C., M.P. for Niagara Falls, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, met in Ottawa today with Attorneys General from New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as the Minister for Home Affairs and Justice of Australia, who is representing the Attorney General of Australia.
Today’s meeting of the Quintet of Attorneys General was the fourth to be held since the inaugural Quintet meeting in the United Kingdom in 2009 and the first to be hosted in Canada. The Attorneys General discussed legal issues of mutual interest, including cybercrime, national security and legal cooperation.
“The global nature of crimes such as terrorism, cybercrime and organized crime make cooperation with key allies a critical component in Canada’s response to these evolving issues,”
said Minister Nicholson. “Today’s meeting provides a unique opportunity for our Government to share knowledge and information with these key countries to ensure coordinated efforts in the fight against terrorism and other transnational crime.”
Further to their discussion last year at the Quintet in Sydney, Australia, the Attorneys General discussed ways that law enforcement agencies could improve their ability to combat cybercrime, including through mutual legal assistance.
“Cybercrime is a significant problem for all Quintet states.”
said Minister Nicholson. “We believe it will continue to require focused attention. As technology is constantly evolving at a rapid pace, we must ensure that our laws continue to evolve as well.”
Minister Nicholson led his Quintet colleagues in a discussion on topics related to the issue of intelligence and evidence in legal proceedings.
“Where national security information is involved in legal proceedings, it is imperative to provide the necessary safeguards to protect national security while at the same time ensuring the fairness of the proceedings,”
stated Minister Nicholson. “The meeting provided an opportunity for Quintet members to advance their understanding of the challenges and possible solutions in this area.”
Other Attorneys General led discussions on forced marriages, digital copyright enforcement, data protection and deferred prosecution agreements.
RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson also made a presentation to the Attorneys General on the importance of international cooperation in the fight against global organized crime, on behalf of the Strategic Alliance Group (SAG). The SAG is comprised of representatives of the federal police forces (and other federal law enforcement agencies) from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The 2012 Quintet was attended by:
- Hon. Rob Nicholson P.C., Q.C., M.P. – Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
- Hon. Chris Finlayson – Attorney General, New Zealand
- Rt. Hon. Dominic Grieve Q.C., M.P. – Attorney General, United Kingdom
- Eric H. Holder, Jr. – Attorney General, United States of America
- Hon. Jason Clare, M.P. – Minister for Home Affairs and Justice, Australia, representing the Attorney General of Australia
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- Julie Di Mambro
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