Frank Iacobucci

Retired Supremes are getting busy in their post-work years—see the SNC-Lavalin case—and it is raising concerns

A retired Supreme Court justice looked at ways to get more Indigenous people onto juries. Among his ideas: end ‘discriminatory use of peremptory challenges.’

What students are talking about today (February 26th)

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.

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..

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.

The detainee papers ruling leaves the Tories no easy options

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.

The government is accused of delivering “two boxes of contempt” to Parliament

The government sent up Tom Lukiwski this morning to table some 2,500 pages of apparently redacted documents apparently related to the issue of Afghan detainees. The opposition parties are unimpressed.

Overviews of this morning’s events from the Canadian Press, Sun, Canwest and CBC.

Iacobucci was hired to ‘review’ the detainee documents