Evidence of meeting #135 for Justice and Human Rights in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was general.
A video is available from Parliament.
6:55 p.m.
Liberal
Iqra Khalid Liberal Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON
You've been able to reach out to the Prime Minister in the past. I still don't understand why you didn't reach out to him when this was such an important issue. It was not raised with the Ethics Commissioner either. Please pardon me, I have not been able to get clarity on this.
I just want to flip to one other thing we have spoken about today. It is with respect to remediation agreements, which my colleagues have addressed at length.
Do you agree with remediation agreements in principle?
6:55 p.m.
Liberal
Jody Wilson-Raybould Liberal Vancouver Granville, BC
I was part of a cabinet that brought in the additional tool to prosecutors that they could utilize, and that tool was deferred prosecution agreements.
6:55 p.m.
Liberal
Iqra Khalid Liberal Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON
So you do agree with deferred prosecution agreements in principle?
6:55 p.m.
Liberal
Jody Wilson-Raybould Liberal Vancouver Granville, BC
I do not believe that my personal opinion on deferred prosecution agreements is relevant.
6:55 p.m.
Liberal
Iqra Khalid Liberal Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON
I think with the scope of the motion it may be relevant for us to consider.
6:55 p.m.
Liberal
Iqra Khalid Liberal Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON
I mean the whole reason why we're here today, with the motion speaking specifically to understanding the nature of remediation agreements, of deferred prosecutions, etc. I do believe that you had voted in favour of deferred prosecution agreements as part of the budget bill.
6:55 p.m.
Liberal
Jody Wilson-Raybould Liberal Vancouver Granville, BC
That's clear. I already said that I did. I was part of a cabinet that brought this tool in. Parliament passed the legislation and the Criminal Code was amended in September 2018.
I would submit that discussions around deferred prosecution agreements are irrelevant to this discussion. What is relevant to this discussion, and that's the discussion we've been having now for some time, is the role of the director of public prosecutions, the role of the Attorney General of Canada and the necessary independence that is a constitutional principle for prosecutors to be upheld. I believe that is the relevancy of this discussion, not whether I agree or disagree, or any member of this committee agrees or disagrees, with the tool of deferred prosecution agreements.
6:55 p.m.
Liberal
February 27th, 2019 / 6:55 p.m.
Michael Barrett Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, CPC
Ms. Wilson-Raybould, thank you very much for your extended testimony with the committee.
Is it your assessment that the Prime Minister has been accurate and truthful in his statements concerning this issue?
6:55 p.m.
Liberal
Jody Wilson-Raybould Liberal Vancouver Granville, BC
I'm not going to comment as to the validity of statements by the Prime Minister or anyone else.
7 p.m.
Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, CPC
Okay.
Mr. Chair, we'll cede the rest of our time. Thank you.
7 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Anthony Housefather
Thank you very much.
If the Conservatives are ceding the rest of their time, that goes back to the Liberals. Who is up?
Mr. Boissonnault.
7 p.m.
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Ms. Wilson-Raybould, I have a question to ask you in French.
In your role as attorney general, did you ever receive advice from sources outside the government, such as lawyers or law firms, on major legal issues here in Canada or on bills?
7 p.m.
Liberal
Jody Wilson-Raybould Liberal Vancouver Granville, BC
In my role as the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, I received advice from external lawyers. I took it upon myself to foster relationships with previous ministers of justice and attorneys general of Canada.
I, again, feel it's very important to have a diversity of views about particular issues and I welcome feedback from individuals, particularly when it has to do with putting forward legislation and changing the Criminal Code, for example.
7 p.m.
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
Thank you very much.
You mentioned in the document at the beginning of this session, in your testimony, that you conducted a period of due diligence. Could you share with us who you conducted due diligence with in this SNC-Lavalin matter?
7 p.m.
Liberal
7 p.m.
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
The privilege has been waived and so has cabinet confidence, so who did you consult with?
7 p.m.
Liberal
Jody Wilson-Raybould Liberal Vancouver Granville, BC
I don't feel it's appropriate to answer that question because it gets into discussions around the nature and the content of the section 13 notice that was provided to me as the Attorney General from the director of public prosecutions, and it gets into topics that are right now before the courts.
7 p.m.
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
Okay, but back to my earlier line of questioning, which was this issue of the openness to receiving new information and making sure that there is never a final decision, let's look at this a different way.
What is the number of individuals that you consulted with during the due diligence before you came to what you have told us is your final decision, even though the law permitted you to continue to look at having a deferred prosecution agreement and you have said very clearly that the principles of law indicate that you need to have an open mind before there is a final decision? In fact, it can't ever be a final decision, so how many individuals did you consult with in your due diligence?
7 p.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
On a point of order, Chair, I'm sorry to interrupt, and apologies to Mr. Boissonnault, but there was a question raised specifically about external references. The witness, Ms. Wilson-Raybould, said that because it's sub judice, it's before the courts, she was unable to comment on it, and Mr. Boissonnault continued.
We've heard—
7 p.m.
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
This is a totally different matter, a totally different line.
7 p.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Now you're asking for numbers. You're asking for specific—