Senator Carignan: Is it also possible to know who in the ranks of the office of the Attorney General of Canada would be able to authorize a phantom trial in Canada?

Senator Gold: Once again, I will ask the question and we shall see the reply. However, in order not to confuse senators and those watching, I will quote something that appeared in La Presse recently. Chief Federal Prosecutor André Albert Morin, of the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, Quebec Regional Office, confirmed as follows whether the trial was authorized, and I quote, “The answer is no.” He did not authorize a secret trial.

[English]

Hon. Claude Carignan: Honourable senators, my question is for the Leader of the Government in the Senate.

Leader, I’m sure you know that there are some basic tenets of a free and democratic society that we call pillars, and one such pillar is a fundamental justice system in which trials are public.

It appears that RCMP investigators and federal prosecutors participated in a trial, but we do not know where or when it was held, nor do we know which judge, accused or lawyers were involved. Also, there is no transcript.

What is the justice minister’s role in this North Korea-esque phantom trial?