I have two questions. I think they could be put shortly and answered quickly. Again, they relate to this issue raised by Ms. Jennings and others.
In many cases I know that Parliament has wanted the Attorney General to take political responsibility for certain decisions. What you've indicated here today is that in many cases, with a view to ensuring independence in much of what happens judicially or in terms of criminal procedure, these consents and approvals have all been delegated by a statute of Parliament. Now, as a legislator I'm becoming somewhat concerned in that what we appear to have delegated--by your interpretation--is now removing the Attorney General's responsibility for many of these decisions. I'm wondering if the deskbook purports to address that in any way, or have we possibly missed this issue as legislators?
This is my second question. In the Mulroney-Schreiber relationship issue going back many years, the department at one point in time would have initiated an investigation in suspected criminality. I don't think they found any, so no charges were ever laid. Then later on that became a civil matter; there was a civil lawsuit.
My question is which branch of your department would have provided the advice to government in relation to settlement or defence of the civil suit that was brought by the former Prime Minister? Which branch of your department provides that advice, if it's not your department?