Mr. Speaker, we are all trying to make sense of the Prime Minister's constraints on the ability of the former attorney general to speak. Today, after three weeks of relentless pressure, he is starting to back down and accept that the attorney general should have the opportunity to speak. However, he is saying that she can only speak on matters that he considers relevant and that he will decide what she can say given there are court proceedings under way.
The Prime Minister does not decide what is at stake in a court. None of the conversations between his office and her office are going to be on trial at SNC's criminal prosecution, although they may be at a future criminal prosecution for different charges of other people. He does not have the ability to constrain somebody who is a member of Parliament to speak about those things, and his attempt to do so may violate the privileges of the hon. member for Vancouver Granville. However, we on this side will continue to defend her right to speak.