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Del Masto said “it is inconceivable that the presiding justice in this matter would not have asked the investigator quite simply, what do we know about Frank Hall? He is the person who has levelled all of these allegations against me.”

Elections Canada “would have found some concerning details, facts that I was able to assemble in a matter of a couple of hours, facts that are in some cases public record, facts that I provided to Elections Canada for its consideration many months ago,” Del Mastro said.

He did not provide more information about these “concerning details” but in a TV interview last week, he noted that Hall had commenced a small-claims action against him. The case was later abandoned.

I should be able to assist in a legitimate investigation without fear of persecution or reprisal from my government

Del Mastro’s comments are protected from defamation law by parliamentary privilege, which allows MPs to speak freely in the House of Commons without fear of legal sanction.

In his letter to Scheer, Hall complains that Del Mastro “gratuitously slandered” him behind the shield of parliamentary privilege, seeking to intimidate him and other witnesses in the case.

“I am attempting to comply with my legal duties, as a law-abiding Canadian,” Hall writes. “Mr. Del Mastro’s statements to you appear to be aimed at dissuading me from doing so.”

Hall asks the Speaker to protect him from further attacks, “so that I, and other witnesses can continue to carry out our legal duty to comply with subpoenas and to cooperate with public investigations of national importance, without fear of persecution or reprisal.”