I will and I apologize.
The final point I wanted to say about the exercise of lawful authority and prosecutorial discretion is that the rule of law is informed by our conventions, our practices, our legislation that governs prosecutions, prosecutor's desk books, and other things that inform our rule of law. What also informs our rule of law is our international conventions and obligations.
If we have international normative standards with guidelines, for instance, with respect to how bribery or corruption offences are prosecuted, in keeping with our role as a global citizen and a participant in a broader legal network, those factors would also be part of the rule of law in Canada. With regard to considerations about being a good adherent to international conventions and treaties—I think there are three international treaties, including the OECD treaty, applying to bribery and corruption—prosecutors would be expected as part of the rule of law to consider those factors, which are important. Where we have multi-state treaties at an international level, they become part of the rule of law of Canada as well.
I will end it there and say that these are nuanced issues. Obviously, I've heard the prior panel, and I affirm much of what they said although I have a somewhat different understanding of it. I would suggest to the committee that those engaging in entreaties to an Attorney General exercising the authority as a chief prosecutor must point to lawful authority that actually backs up their actions. I would say the Shawcross doctrine is a flimsy authority.