I completely agree that it is very important. It is essential to the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, the PPSC, that the public has confidence in the justice system. We also thank you for inviting us here to ask us these questions.
There is no favouritism in the way PPSC conducts prosecutions and makes decisions. We make decisions based on the personal circumstances of the accused that are presented in their case. We consider a great many factors in each case, as well as everything related to the alleged crime. As you pointed out, a person's past history is very important and that is indeed one of the factors we consider. It is very important for the public to understand and trust the justice system.
We also understand that there are sometimes questions about how we establish our processes and conduct prosecutions. When possible, we communicate with victims, communities and investigatory agencies. In many cases, we cannot provide details about our decisions because that information is confidential. I can tell you something that the media in the Atlantic provinces have reported: there are at least 50 prosecutions involving indigenous persons under the Fisheries Act.