Evidence of meeting #29 for Declaration of Emergency in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was documents.
A video is available from Parliament.
8:45 p.m.
Senator, Quebec (Mille Isles), C
My question is for both ministers.
Do you have something to hide?
8:45 p.m.
Liberal
Dominic LeBlanc Liberal Beauséjour, NB
It's a pleasure to see you, Senator Carignan.
No, I have nothing to hide.
8:45 p.m.
Senator, Quebec (Mille Isles), C
Why won't you give us the legal opinion, then?
8:45 p.m.
Liberal
Arif Virani Liberal Parkdale—High Park, ON
That's because it's protected by solicitor-client privilege.
8:45 p.m.
Senator, Quebec (Mille Isles), C
I've studied the issue of solicitor‑client privilege rather extensively. To whom does the privilege belong? Who benefits? Cabinet benefits.
8:45 p.m.
Senator, Quebec (Mille Isles), C
Why, then, doesn't cabinet simply relieve the minister of his privilege or duty of confidentiality, if you have nothing to hide? I think that you're heavyweights in cabinet. What's preventing you from providing the legal opinion?
You wouldn't give it to Justice Rouleau. You said that Justice Rouleau made various decisions, that he examined everything and that it's all good. However, he didn't examine the legal opinion, because you wouldn't give it to him.
Why hide it? There are two possibilities: either the legal opinion states that the measures taken were legal, or else it states that they were illegal. If it states that they were legal, what's preventing you from giving it to us?
8:50 p.m.
Liberal
Sherry Romanado Liberal Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne, QC
I have a point of order, Madam Chair.
Whenever Senator Carignan bangs on the table, it hurts the interpreters' ears.
8:50 p.m.
Senator, Quebec (Mille Isles), C
I apologize. I certainly don't want to hurt them.
What's the holdup? If the legal opinion says that it was legal, give it to us. We'll close the file right now and move on to something else.
8:50 p.m.
Liberal
Arif Virani Liberal Parkdale—High Park, ON
Mr. Carignan, I would expect you, as a lawyer, to appreciate that it is not the contents we're trying to protect. What is critical in protecting solicitor-client privilege is a relationship that has existed, as I mentioned, for hundreds of years between solicitors and their clients and that promotes candour and free, full and fair advice.
8:50 p.m.
Liberal
Arif Virani Liberal Parkdale—High Park, ON
It's understanding that this privilege is sacrosanct between that professional and their client. It is important to the functioning of law—
8:50 p.m.
Liberal
8:50 p.m.
Senator, Quebec (Mille Isles), C
Don't speak to me like that. It feels like you take me for a fool.
February 27th, 2024 / 8:50 p.m.
The Joint Chair Hon. Gwen Boniface
Senator Carignan and Minister, would you take turns, because the interpreters cannot interpret?
8:50 p.m.
Liberal