Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion:
The Federal Public Service is stronger and most effective when we reflect the diversity of the Canadian population we serve. The Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC) is dedicated to building a diverse workforce and an equitable, inclusive and accessible workplace culture. We are committed to being representative of Canadian society and ensuring that our workforce feels they belong. All candidates in the area of selection who believe they are qualified are encouraged to apply, especially equity groups like members of a racialized group, persons living with a disability, Indigenous Peoples, and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Bringing your whole self to work each day is important to us. We are genuinely interested in understanding who you are and what your identity factors are.
Accessibility:
Set yourself up for success! As the objective of this process is to assess qualifications needed for the position(s) to be staffed, it is important to us that you feel included and that you can participate without barriers. We are committed to improving accessibility in all areas of our organization and adopting a “Yes, by default” approach when necessary requirements are requested. You are encouraged to communicate your unique needs for accessibility and/or accommodation. For example, you may contact us if you need assistance in completing and submitting your application. Should you proceed to a future assessment stage, such as an exam or interview, we will send you an e-mail with additional information and you can determine if you may require an accommodation at that time (such as, but not limited to, a different test format, an adaptive technology, additional time, a new date, etc.). Assessment accommodations are designed to remove the obstacles without altering the criteria being assessed so that candidates can fully demonstrate their abilities.
Please use the Contact information below to request accommodation during any phase of this assessment process. This information will be kept confidential and your right to privacy will be protected.
If you are unable to submit your application before the closing date, please do not hesitate to contact Alexandrine Tarte-Tardif by email at .
When you apply to this selection process, you are not applying for a specific job, but to an inventory for future vacancies. As positions become available, applicants who meet the qualifications may be contacted for further assessment.
As Counsel at the PPSC, you will conduct criminal prosecutions on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions on many significant and complex cases. In addition to Drug and regulatory offences, our Yukon and Nunavut Regional Offices prosecute Criminal Code offences, including homicide and sexual offences
Joining the Public Prosecution Service of Canada will be a transformative experience, both professionally and personally.
LP-01 – Counsel: Entry level where experience is gained, and skills are developed to reach the working level.
LP-02 – Counsel: Working level with expertise in criminal law.
LP-03 – Senior Counsel: Subject matter expertise in criminal law.
LP-03 – Team Leader: Subject matter expertise in criminal law and supervises LP-01 and LP-02 employees.
The Department:
The Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC) is a national organization that prosecutes federal offences. We offer career opportunities for prosecutors, paralegals, legal assistants, and a wide range of business professionals. Our organization consists of approximately 1000 employees in regional offices across the country.
In 2023, we updated our Mission and Values to reflect our commitment to Truth and Reconciliation as well as Equity and Inclusion. The PPSC acknowledges the realities faced by individuals subjected to systemic discrimination and the significant over-representation of racialized and Indigenous persons in the criminal justice system. The PPSC’s mission is to serve the public interest and help make Canada a safe and just society by conducting prosecutions in a manner that is equitable, objective and independent, while protecting the rights of every individual; and contributing to the change necessary to support a criminal justice system that is fair to all.
To learn more about the PPSC’s guiding mission and values, visit: https://www.ppsc-sppc.gc.ca/eng/bas/mis-mis.html.
Every PPSC employee has a role to play in creating a work environment where every person can bring their whole self to work and feel valued and empowered to contribute. Being informed and influenced by our diverse employees helps change the heart and conscience of the PPSC. As part of the larger PPSC Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (EDIA) governance structure, you can join one of five National Councils for Employees: Persons living with Disabilities, Racialized Persons, Black Persons, Indigenous Peoples, and 2SLGBTQIA+.
The PPSC also updated the Decision to Prosecute test, which provides clear guidance to prosecutors on how to be more proactive and conscious about recognizing bias, discrimination, and other factors contributing to over-representation. Prosecutors now have a framework to consider background and systemic factors. These factors are considered not only as they relate to the accused, but also to the victim and affected communities, particularly Indigenous women and girls. It also seeks to clarify situations where the public interest may not require a prosecution.
This selection process will be used to fill current and future vacancies at the LP-01, LP-02 and LP-03 levels. Applications will be reviewed on a regular basis and applicants may be contacted for further assessment.
For LP-01 Appointments:
Upon appointment to the LP-01 position, the selected candidate will be placed in the Federal Prosecutors Development Program (FPDP). The FPDP is an organization-wide program designed to ensure that new federal prosecutors gain the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to be effective working-level (LP-02) prosecutors typically within four years.
Term appointments into the Federal Prosecutors Development Program (FPDP) may result in an indeterminate appointment to the LP-02 level following successful completion of the program.
Employees may be appointed to the LP-02 level upon completion of the Federal Prosecutors Development Program (FPDP).
Positions to be filled: Number to be determined
Your résumé.
Occupational Certification:
- Eligibility for membership in the Bar of Nunavut and/or Yukon.
Experience:
LP-01:
-Experience in making appearances in court as counsel, articling student or law student.
LP- 02:
-Recent* experience in the conduct of criminal or quasi-criminal litigation.
Experience is associated with a broad range of criminal litigation normally acquired over a three (3) year period.
*Recent refers to the experience obtained in approximately the last five (5) years.
LP-03:
- Significant** experience leading, or in taking on a leadership role in a criminal litigation team, in the conduct of ill-defined and complex litigation.
- Experience in coaching and mentoring others on matters relating to criminal investigations and litigation.
** Significant is defined as experience associated with a broad range of progressively increasing complexity of criminal litigation normally acquired over a six (6) year period accumulated within approximately the past twelve (12) years.
Asset Qualification - Experience:
- Experience working as Crown Prosecutor or criminal defence counsel.
- Experience working in a cross cultural environment, particularly in Indigenous communities.
- Experience working in a northern environment.
Organizational Needs:
The PPSC is committed to establishing and maintaining a representative workforce. We encourage candidates belonging to one or more of the following equity groups to self-declare: Indigenous peoples, persons living with a disability, members of a visible minority group, and women. Applications from those who self-declare as belonging to one of these groups could be considered first. They could also be given preference at the hiring stage.
Persons self-identifying as Nunavut Inuit enrolled under the Nunavut Agreement may be selected for appointment in Nunavut to fulfill organizational needs.
Operational Requirements:
- Requirement to travel which may include assignments on short notice and for extended periods.
- Ability and willingness to work outside normal working hours which may include working evenings, nights and weekends based on operational needs.
- Possession of a valid driver’s licence. Note: the licence class must, at a minimum, authorize the driver to drive a car, van or small truck, on all roads and highways without an accompanying driver (Yukon only).
English essential
Information on language requirements
Knowledge:
LP-01:
-Basic* knowledge of criminal law and procedures including knowledge of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
*Basic is defined as fundamental and developmental constituting the basis or starting point
LP-02:
-Sound** knowledge of the role and practices of Crown Counsel in the conduct of criminal litigation in the Public Prosecution Service of Canada
- Sound** knowledge of criminal law and procedures including knowledge of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and its relevant case law
**Sound is defined as being capable of fulfilling their duties with minimal direction based on thorough knowledge.
LP-03:
-In-depth*** knowledge of the role and practices of Crown Counsel in the conduct of criminal litigation in the Public Prosecution Service of Canada
-In-depth*** knowledge of criminal law and procedures including knowledge of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and its relevant case law
***In-depth is defined as specialist in one or more areas of law, having thorough knowledge.
LP-03 (Team Leader Only):
- Knowledge of the Treasury Board’s Directive on the Prevention and Resolution of Workplace Harassment and Violence.
Competencies (Counsel and Senior Counsel):
- Specialized Skills and Knowledge (such as understanding one’s role, legal skills and legal knowledge)
- Professionalism (such as professional conduct, professional fortitude, service orientation and self assessment)
- Judgement (such as decision making, critical thinking, and adaptability)
- Practice Management (such as file management)
- Communicating effectively (such as verbally, in writing and by listening attentively)
- Interpersonal Relationships (such as building relationships and emotion management)
- Leadership (such as coaching and mentoring, influencing others and teamwork)
Competencies (Team Leader):
- Specialized Skills and Knowledge (such as understanding one’s role, legal skills and legal knowledge)
- Professionalism (such as professional conduct, professional fortitude, service orientation and self assessment)
- Practice Management (such as file management)
- Communicating effectively (such as verbally, in writing and by listening attentively)
- Values and Ethics (such as serving with integrity and respect)
- Strategic Thinking (such as innovating through analysis and ideas)
- Engagement (such as mobilizing people, organizations and partners)
- Management Excellence (such as delivering through action management, people management and financial management)
The Public Service of Canada is committed to building a skilled and diverse workforce that reflects the Canadians we serve. We promote employment equity and encourage you to indicate if you belong to one of the designated groups when you apply.
Information on employment equity
Nunavut is an Inuit territory, where societal values are guided by the principles of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (Inuit Traditional Knowledge). As a PPSC employee, you will have a particular responsibility to respect traditional approaches to justice, including restorative justice programs that incorporate Inuit values and culture, and embody the spirit of Inuit Qaujmajatuqangit. The Nunavut Regional Office embraces a welcoming, culturally sensitive and representative workplace. Inuktitut, as well as English and French, is widely spoken within the office. Inuit culture is celebrated. Impromptu, as well as work-related, gatherings occur to share country food such as bannock, seal, caribou and fish.
The Yukon Regional Office is responsible for prosecutions throughout Yukon Territory. The regional headquarters is located in Whitehorse.
Whitehorse is Yukon’s capital and a major northern hub. It enjoys facilities, services and businesses far beyond the expectation of a city of 30,000. It's a big little city surrounded by wilderness with the amenities of a much larger destination paired with the friendly demeanour of a close-knit community.
For more information on life in the Yukon please visit:
http://www.travelyukon.com/About
Additional benefits of working in the North:
1) Northern Allowance - in addition to your base salary to offset the costs of living in the North.
2) Relocation assistance.
3) Vacation Travel Assistance - paid travel outside the territory once a year. The amount allocated varies.
4) Room for growth in our organization.
5) Training opportunities.
Preference will be given to veterans first and then to Canadian citizens and permanent residents, with the exception of a job located in Nunavut, where Nunavut Inuit will be appointed first.
Information on the preference to veterans
We thank all those who apply. Only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.