Mr. Speaker, I reviewed the legislation and I do not find anything in it which gives the Solicitor General the authority to declare a moratorium on any kind of work done by the parole board in deciding who may be entitled to a release.
In fact, I ask the hon. member to consider whether he and his party really want the members of the parole board in their decisions to be subject to political direction or interference. I do not think they would really want that on reflection. I do not think the House would want that. I do not think the public would want that. In any event, the law does not give the Solicitor General permission to give the kind of order that he is seeking.
I also want to add that the legislation talks about the protection of the public as a principle the parole board has to follow, and protection of the public is certainly the priority of the government.