CBA International Initiatives hosted a week-long study mission for senior Vietnam Ministry of Justice officials in late September. The high-level delegation, chaired by Vice Minister Phan Chi Hieu, was interested in learning more about Canadian mechanisms for the examination and handling of legal normative documents; public consultations in policy development and law-making; ensuring legality and constitutionality of draft legislation; and ensuring the accessibility of laws and jurisprudence.
The study mission was part the CBA's National Legislative Development project, which supports the implementation of a legislative reform taking place in Vietnam. The seven-year bilateral assistance project is funded by Global Affairs Canada and implemented by the Canadian Executing Agency consisting of the CBA, the Ministry of the Attorney General of Ontario and Stikeman Elliott LLP.
The project’s objective is to increase economic growth by improving Vietnam’s legislative development process, including ensuring more transparent and accessible laws and effective public participation in the lawmaking process. This is an area where Canada has much to offer with respect to sharing expertise and examples of matured practices and lessons learned.
The CBA is grateful to its partners and the many organizations and institutions that made this study mission a rewarding experience for the Vietnamese delegation. The delegation was received by the Department of Justice Canada; Health Canada; House of Commons – Office of the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel; Public Interest Advocacy Centre; Irosoft; CanLii and Lexum.
We would like to convey Vice Minister Hieu's particular gratitude to Deputy Minister Nathalie Drouin for taking her time to meet with the delegation.
Study missions provide insight into Canadian practice and allow our partners to adapt and build on existing experience. The public consultation mechanisms from the perspectives of both the government and public interest groups were of particular interest to our Vietnamese partners. They have identified a strong potential to introduce some of these practices into their own work over time and to thus further strengthen their legislative development capacity.