Ottawa, March 11, 2026 – The Association of Justice Counsel (AJC), representing more than 3,500 federal lawyers and prosecutors, announces that settlement discussions are currently underway with the Department of Justice regarding the pause of the Department of Justice LP-01 Training and Development Program.

Many of our members have reached out in recent months with understandable questions and concerns about what comes next following the pause of the program. We recognize the uncertainty this situation has created for members employed at Justice whose career progression has been stalled despite completing program requirements. We also recognize that, in solidarity, many of our members are concerned about the situation facing their LP-01 colleagues.

We continue to challenge the employer’s decision to pause the LP-01 Training and Development Program through multiple legal and labour relations avenues. These actions include a judicial review, an unfair labour practice complaint, a policy grievance, and over 250 individual grievances filed by members affected by the pause, currently being held in abeyance while we negotiate an efficient process for them to be heard. All of these matters remain active.

We have also pursued additional avenues to support LP-01 members, including individual grievances related to acting pay where members are performing LP-02-level work. Results on those grievances have been mixed, but we continue to pursue every available avenue to support members affected by the pause.

In addition to these labour relations actions, we have continued raising the LP-01 program pause in meetings with senior management at the Department of Justice, emphasizing the importance of fairness and transparency for affected members.

As part of ongoing discussions with the Department of Justice, the parties agreed to participate in settlement discussions before the end of the fiscal year. These discussions address several related matters at once, including the policy grievance, the individual LP-01 grievances, the unfair labour practice complaint, and the judicial review application.

The parties began discussions on March 9 and 10 and are scheduled to continue until the end of March. As part of this process, the parties will meet and explore whether a resolution may be possible. The settlement discussions provide an opportunity to engage in structured discussions and determine whether any issues can be resolved before the matters proceed further through adjudication or court processes.

It is important to set realistic expectations about the settlement discussions. Discussions during settlement are confidential and without prejudice to any positions that may be taken at the hearing. If the matters are not resolved, the grievances will proceed to a hearing. A resolution may or may not be reached during settlement discussions. If no resolution is reached, the matters will continue through the legal and labour relations processes already underway.

The AJC has carriage of all grievances related to this issue under the collective agreement. We will continue to communicate updates on how these settlement discussions are progressing.

Our position remains clear: members who completed program requirements and earned promotions deserve fairness, transparency, and follow-through from the employer. We will continue to pursue every available avenue to defend our members’ rights and seek a fair resolution to the LP-01 program pause. Updates will be shared as further information becomes available. 

ABOUT THE AJC

The Association of Justice Counsel (AJC) is the union defending Canada’s legal team. Our 3,500+ members are Federal Crown Counsel and articling students employed by the Government of Canada in the Department of Justice, the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, and in various federal agencies, tribunals and courts across Canada.

MEDIA CONTACT

The Communications Department 
Association of Justice Counsel 
300–2725 Queensview Drive 
Ottawa, ON, Canada 
K2B 0A1

Phone: (613) 798-9900 
Toll-Free: (866) 218-3310 
Fax: (613) 564-0606 
Email: admin@ajc-ajj.ca

 

-30-