Evidence of meeting #20 for National Defence in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Bernard Blaise Cathcart  Judge Advocate General, Canadian Forces, Department of National Defence

12:10 p.m.

NDP

Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL

Thank you very much.

The only other comment I would add on the issue of solicitor-client privilege is that parliamentary privilege is also part of the law of Canada and that I appreciate you're not able to answer that question.

You may in fact need to do some research on that very issue, because it's not a question of violating one law or another. It's a question of finding out what the actual state of the law is, and that parliamentary privilege itself is recognized as part of the law of Canada and that there must be some decision made ultimately. But it's a very new issue that we've only been dealing with in this Parliament in recent months, so we're not all there yet.

12:10 p.m.

Judge Advocate General, Canadian Forces, Department of National Defence

BGen Bernard Blaise Cathcart

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I do appreciate that it is the law of Canada, but I also appreciate there are differing views.

There are many laws of Canada, and sometimes there is at least a perception of them conflicting with one another. That's why we have the luxury of debating in a law-making fashion here at Parliament and, of course, we have our court system to help us in clarifying and interpreting the laws as well.

12:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Vice-Chair Liberal Bryon Wilfert

Thank you, gentlemen.

Seeing no other questions, I want to thank you and your colleagues for attending today. I want to offer my best wishes. There's no doubt that it's going to be an interesting time for you.

Colleagues, we will recess for three or four minutes and then go in camera.

[Proceedings continue in camera]