Why our justice system works.

AuthorButt, David

The Mike Duffy trial, now adjourned to November, has revealed the inner workings of our highest political office. The trial has unearthed raw material that will be analyzed by political scientists for years to come, making the trial a seminal contributor to the understanding of Canada's democratic institutions.

This inside view of Canadian governance has been aided by five key structural features of our legal system, operating in sync and in high gear.

First and foremost is the independence of our justice machinery--police, Crown prosecutors, defence lawyers, and judge. The Duffy trial has unfolded without even a whiff of political interference that can silence a justice system's professionals. How many other countries could accomplish a similar feat? Precious few. The Duffy trial shows that Canada possesses the virtue of a staunchly independent justice system.

Second is the long, sturdy reach of police search and seizure powers. No stone was left unturned by the Duffy investigators, not even those ensconced in the Prime Minister's Office. The best investigative journalist armed with freedom of information requests could not have obtained the same breadth of documents that generated the headlines from the Duffy trial. Search and seizure powers can be misused, and so must always be closely monitored. But the Duffy trial shows how vigorous search and seizure powers are vital to the quest for truth, especially from high places.

Third, there is what lawyers call the right to disclosure. Simply put, the right to disclosure means all the information and documentation police investigators gather must be given to the defence long before trial. The Duffy proceedings are a master class on the importance of that right. The defence team has been empowered to mount its detailed, sustained, and often devastatingly effective attack on prosecution witnesses largely because of the right to disclosure. Armed with full disclosure of the police file, the defence has pored over those materials for months, diligently rooting out fibs and flaws, and carefully constructing the artfully detailed lines of attack we have watched unfold.

Fourth, there is the right of cross-examination. In talented hands, cross-examination is a scalpel, disemboweling even the cleverest dissembler. Politicians' media talking points...

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT