PROSECUTION DEFINED

The Premier on the need for clarification of the rules at the Cameron Inquiry. A rationale taken from answers provided in Question Period today:

Having said that, what we are going through here - and you need to understand it, is the commissioner, Madam Justice Cameron, has set rules of procedure and practice which she herself laid out for the conduct of that inquiry. What we are saying is that counsel are not conducting themselves in accordance with those rules of practice and procedure which have been laid down by Madam Justice Cameron. I submit, Mr. Speaker, that we have every right, legally and practically, to challenge that.

------------------------------------

Rule 29 of the Rules of Procedure says that commission counsel will adduce the evidence from the witness. Now, the adducing of evidence is defined by Black’s Legal Dictionary as bringing forward, offering or introducing the evidence.

It is not the role - and the hon. Member for Burgeo-LaPoile who shakes his head, knows that it is not the role of commission counsel to cross-examine. It is the role of commission counsel, as defined by Madam Justice Cameron, to adduce the evidence, to bring it forward. It would be the role of Mr. Ches Crosbie, who represents the victims down there, to cross-examine. It would be the role of other counsel down there to cross-examine. What is, in fact, happening down there is a cross-examination of witnesses, and hence my comment that this is in fact a prosecution. What has happened, we have had a period where five witnesses, and only five witnesses have been dealt with in eighteen days and some of those witnesses are still on the stand. There is now a request for another eighty witnesses and an extension out to February. We want to make sure that, if that happens, it is done according to the rules established by Madam Justice Cameron.

-------------------------------------------