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Justice Frank Iacobucci, as noted, has been tabbed as one of the eminent jurists who will arbitrate for the committee reviewing Afghan detainee documents. The NDP says the presence of Justice Iacobucci taints the process because he was previously under contract to the government to review documents on their behalf. The Liberals say transparency is ensured because they were assured Justice Iacobucci’s retainer has been terminated.

Your eminent jurists

The office of Justice Minister Rob Nicholson has announced the three eminent jurists charged with arbitrating for the committee of MPs reviewing Afghan detainee documents. They, with their various letters of significance are: the Honourable Claire L’Heureux-Dubé, C.C., G.O.Q., the Honourable Frank Iacobucci, C.C., Q.C., and the Honourable Donald I. Brenner, Q.C..

Agreement and disagreement

The opposition parties aren’t agreed as to whether Justice Frank Iacobucci, or seemingly any independent advisor or arbiter, should have a role in Parliament’s review of detainee documents. Meanwhile, Gen. Walter Natynczyk, the chief of the defence staff and a man the Defence Minister seems to trust, is asked if he’s worried about detainee documents being reviewed.

‘You have your law, we have ours’

The government has tabled another 6,200 pages of detainee documents today. As with last week’s documents, these were not reviewed by Justice Frank Iacobucci, the respected jurist theoretically hired to do just that and cited yesterday by the Justice Minister as the solution to the government’s current standoff with Parliament.