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But Trudeau said that the question of waiving privilege “is not a simple one.” He said he’s asked current Attorney General David Lametti to provide him with recommendations.

In Ottawa, Lametti gave a speech Monday at a Canadian Bar Association conference during which he pointed to his dual role as a member of cabinet who deals with justice policy and as the government’s main legal adviser who oversees the public prosecution service. “It is important to remember that while the attorney general sits at a certain distance from his cabinet colleagues, in Canada, unlike in other countries, he does not work in isolation from them,” he said. “But there is a line that cannot be crossed. Telling the attorney general what a decision ought to be: that would be interference.”

Photo by Tijana Martin/CP

Lametti later refused to answer several questions from reporters, saying that it would be inappropriate to comment as attorney general, since the SNC-Lavalin case is before the courts.

The ethics investigation comes as the House of Commons justice committee prepares to hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday to debate a motion calling for Wilson-Raybould and several senior officials in the PMO to testify about the allegations of political interference. Over the weekend, the Toronto Star reported that the majority-Liberal committee is likely to block the opposition’s attempt to call witnesses. In response, committee chair and Liberal MP Anthony Housefather tweeted that he will “independently determine” whether a committee study of the issue is necessary. “Nobody has attempted to influence me,” he wrote.

Speaking to reporters in Fredericton on Monday, Scheer said the Liberals must allow the committee to proceed, regardless of the ethics investigation. “If Justin Trudeau decides to stonewall us or to shut down the committee on Wednesday, we will use every legal and law enforcement tool at our disposal,” he said.