Re: 鈥淎 few basic points about prosecutors鈥� decision-making,鈥� comment, March 9.
I鈥檇 respectfully question the suggestion that the decision of the former attorney general not to overrule the director of public prosecutions against granting SNC-Lavalin a deferred prosecution agreement was taken with undue haste.
Jody Wilson-Raybould reasonably claims to have been put under pressure from federal officials over a period of four months. It would have taken little time for a legal mind to recognize unwarranted political interference and the equally unlawful use of economic factors based on spurious information about potential dangers to the company and its employees, and to take a firm stand. It would have taken less than a legal mind to realize that the relentless 鈥渏obs鈥� mantra revealed depths of insincerity as yet unplumbed.
Keeping an open mind, justifying decisions on an ongoing basis and being open to the advice of colleagues and public servants is all very well. But in this event, badgering from officials seems to have been based repeatedly on these same dubious economic considerations, only likely to wear down any opposition by attrition, rather than the introduction of any new changes of circumstance.
Is it any wonder that the then-AG chose to draw a line in the sand when she did, rather than consent to needless procrastination?
And wasn鈥檛 her reasoning backed by the subsequent Federal Court鈥檚 clear decision to uphold the original independent finding of the director of public prosecutions?
J.G. Lover
Oak Bay
