The Role of the Crown Attorney in Manitoba
Manitoba Prosecutions Service
Manitoba Prosecution Service is responsible for prosecuting criminal offences across Manitoba. This includes offences that are described in provincial and federal laws such as the Criminal Code of Canada and the Youth Criminal Justice Act. The position and functions of the Crown Prosecutor are quasi-judicial. The prosecutor's role is not to seek a verdict of guilt, but rather to assist the judge and the jury so that justice, in the most complete sense, is done. Moderation and impartiality are the characteristics of their conduct before the court.
Legal Services Branch
The Legal Services Branch functions as the law firm to the provincial government, flowing from the constitutional and statutory responsibilities of the Attorney General as the chief law officer of the Crown. The Legal Services Branch provides a full range of legal services through six sections: Constitutional Law, Family Law, Corporate Commercial and IT Law, Aboriginal and Natural Resources Law, Crown Law, and Litigation. Counsel in this branch have an important responsibility to advocate for and defend the rule of law by advising the Crown about its constitutional, statutory, and common law duties.
The Office of the Legislative Counsel
The Office of the Legislative Counsel is responsible for drafting all bills, regulations, and laws of Manitoba into both official languages. It provides drafting services for bills and regulations to all Government departments, Government agencies, boards, and commissions, and provides related legal advice. This office is also responsible for drafting the rules of the courts and administrative tribunals. In its role as Law Officer of the Legislative Assembly, the Office also drafts Private Members’ Bills and provides legal advice to the Speaker and the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly. Counsel in this office provide advice to ensure that the laws of Manitoba are constitutionally sound and accessible to all Manitobans.
The Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee
The Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee manages estates and protects the affairs of Manitobans who are unable to do so themselves and are in circumstances where no one else is capable or willing to do so. Counsel for the Public Guardian and Trustee provide advice to ensure that the Public Guardian and Trustee promotes the best interests of the individuals it serves and acts in accordance with the rule of law and the legislation governing its involvement in the lives of vulnerable Manitobans. Counsel also reviews various applications and motions to the Court of King’s Bench in accordance with the Public Guardian and Trustee’s statutory mandate.