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A number of sources confirmed to Postmedia that the federal government aims to bring lawyers under Fintrac’s oversight.

“The government is examining the impact and implications of the 2015 Supreme Court decision that excluded lawyers from Canada’s anti-money laundering regime and will announce next steps in due course,” Paul Duchesne of the federal Finance Department told Postmedia. “We will review (the task force) recommendations closely to ensure that Canada continues to combat money laundering … while respecting the constitutional division of powers.”

“After the Supreme Court decision, Finance Canada has been weighing next steps,” another official in Ottawa said. “You can’t appeal a Supreme Court decision. In Canada, the Supreme Court is the law of the land. But you can adjust the legislation.”

The federal government’s case will be bolstered by a Fintrac study that shows lawyers are often charged in money laundering cases. The 2015 study, obtained by Postmedia under freedom of information law, is based on Canadian court cases publicly reported from 2004 to 2014.

“The second-largest profession in the sample are lawyers, representing 15 per cent,” the report states. “Based on court documentation, lawyers convicted of money laundering were willing to exploit reporting exemptions in order to launder funds … (and use) solicitor-client privilege to enhance money-laundering services.”

Cases in the study only represent a portion of the money laundering intelligence gathered by Fintrac, the report says.