Mr. Speaker, under section 42 of the Extradition Act it clearly states:
The Minister may amend a surrender order at any time before its execution.
It otherwise speaks for a period of 90 days after the date of a person's committal to await a surrender order, that the person be surrendered. In other words, there is a provision here for a postponement. One needs to look at the act and read it in the context of what the courts have said is a broad, discretionary, political power by the minister.
For that purpose, we support the public inquiry which has been established. We support the appointment of Dr. Johnston. We say that for the purposes of that public inquiry to proceed, so that truth can be pursued and that the ends of justice be served, the Minister of Justice should exercise that broad, discretionary, political authority, which, as he acknowledged today, he was prepared to see that Mr. Schreiber would testify.
We support that and we should do that which can be done in order to allow that purpose to be served.