It depends on the situation that DFO officers have uncovered. For less complicated or less serious matters, when officers conduct an investigation and lay charges, the file is sent to the PPSC and we review it. To determine whether we're going to prosecute, we consider whether there's a reasonable prospect of conviction and whether prosecution is in the public interest. If the answer to both questions is yes, we conduct the prosecution to the end. In more complicated situations, where investigators have questions, we have a dialogue.
So we certainly have a pretty close relationship with all of the investigative bodies across the country, and with DFO. If officers have questions or want to get a prosecutor's opinion on a situation before laying charges, we discuss it with them and give them our opinion so they can make an independent decision. When a file is referred to us, once again, we consider whether there is a reasonable prospect of conviction and whether prosecution is in the public interest. If so, we take it to court. It generally takes months to complete a case from start to finish. If there is a finding of guilt, the sentence is determined.