Justice committee  We have various types of integrated teams in different sectors. We have integrated teams for proceeds of crime, counterfeiting, borders and financial market fraud. So there are four different types, the most recent team being the ones dealing with counterfeiting which was, I beli

Justice committee  The teams include Crown attorneys, police officers and other experts specialized in a particular sector. In the integrated teams that look after proceeds of crime, there are accountants and tax investigators assigned by Revenue Canada. In the integrated teams that deal with count

Justice committee  We will request Cabinet ministers to keep them when they examine the renewal of the budgets.

Justice committee  I would briefly add that the Canadian justice system is structured in the following manner. The police, the investigators have their role to play and they play it. It is up to them to determine whether or not charges should be laid, against whom and under what circumstances. At t

Justice committee  I would just briefly add that what ultimately led to those cases' demise was a judicial finding of a charter violation. We litigate alleged charter violations regularly and diligently before the courts. Findings that charter rights have been violated do occur, and cases get staye

Information & Ethics committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair and honourable members. We have been asked by this committee to explain the role of the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, the PPSC, in general terms and specifically in relation to the Canada Elections Act. Joining me from the PPSC is Don Beardall, who'

Information & Ethics committee  The Director of Public Prosecutions Act sets out that the Director of Public Prosecutions conducts prosecutions under and on behalf of the Attorney General. The decisions made by the DPP are independent and free of any partisan or political influence, but the DPP reports to the A

Information & Ethics committee  That's correct.

Information & Ethics committee  To be clear on the process, the Elections Act investigations are conducted by the Commissioner of Canada Elections. At the conclusion of the investigation, should the commissioner feel that on reasonable grounds an offence has been committed, he would refer a prosecution brief to

Information & Ethics committee  “Him” being the commissioner?

Information & Ethics committee  We have spoken with the commissioner. We have provided advice to Elections Canada in relation to a number of matters.

Information & Ethics committee  I'm not able to answer that question in the abstract.

Information & Ethics committee  It is up to the investigative agency to contact the Public Prosecution Service to request advice during an investigation. It is the investigative agency that decides to proceed with certain steps, for example to appear before a judge to obtain some authorization.

Information & Ethics committee  It is not uncommon for an investigative agency to ask us for legal advice about all sorts of offences that will have different consequences. All sorts of investigative agencies contact us very frequently about this.

Information & Ethics committee  To answer your first question, a copy of my opening remarks was given to the clerk earlier for distribution to committee members, if they wish. I think it is not correct to describe us as counsel for Elections Canada in the traditional sense of the word, as it is understood in t