Law Reform Commission of Canada

The Law Commission of Canada was an independent law commission that gave advice to the Canadian government on matters of law. The body was created in 1971 as the Law Reform Commission of Canada and was disbanded in 1992. The body was reestablished as the Law Commission of Canada in 1996. On September 26, 2006, the Conservative government announced it was cutting the LCC's funding.

Decades before it was established, since at least 1955, there were calls for the creation of a federal law reform commission. The federal law commission was preceded by the Ontario Law Reform Commission, which was created in 1964. In 1966, the Canadian Bar Association passed a resolution at its annual meeting calling for the creation of a federal law reform commission. On February 16, 1970, the then Liberal Minister of Justice John Turner introduced Bill C-186, which called for the establishment of a national law reform agency. The bill successfully passed and the Law Reform Commission of Canada was created.

The LRCC was meant to provide expert advice on reformations of legislation. It was to study and review on an ongoing basis the laws of Canada, and to make recommendations for their improvement.

No legislation based on the LRCC's recommendations were enacted during the first ten years of the Commission's existence. The Commission did not issue a final report until its fifth year. Finally, in 1983, legislation was enacted that implemented one of its reports.

In February 1992, the Conservative government announced that it was to close the LRCC, along with five other organisations, as a cost savings measure.

In 1996, Liberal Minister of Justice Allan Rock reintroduced Bill C-9 to create the Law Commission of Canada. On May 29, 1996, Bill C-9 received royal assent. The LCC commenced operations during 1997. Its mandate was different than under the former LRCC. The LCC was meant to be inclusive to Canadians, and to adopt a multidisciplinary approach. It was made up of five commissioners appointed by the Cabinet of Canada on the recommendations of the Minister of Justice. The president was a full-time commissioner, while the other four commissioners served on a part-time basis.

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