While there were no actual bombshells in the ongoing SNC-Lavalin/Wilson-Raybould Affair, there were an ongoing series of curiosities yesterday, starting with that Cabinet meeting that ran way, way overtime, and which Wilson-Raybould apparently requested to attend and said request was granted. And when she did speak to the press, she said that she was still working out with her lawyer about what she could say, and that she was still a Liberal MP – oh, and she was “proud.” Because that’s how she answers every question ever. The Justice committee also agreed to hear from her and a number of other witnesses to get a better grasp of the Shawcross Doctrine, but there was a lot of grumbling about the fact that they didn’t agree to hear from Gerald Butts or any other PMO staff (which we should recall is in large part because of how our parliamentary system works, and the issue of ministerial responsibility – we don’t haul staffers before committees because their minister is responsible for their conduct, as inconvenient as that may be sometimes).

For context, here’s a look at the very curiously similar language used by SNC-Lavalin in their in their representations to support the deferred prosecution agreement legislation, and that of other intervenors. Here’s a legal discussion about what constitutes solicitor-client privilege when you’re the Attorney General, while former litigator Andrew Roman goes through what could be constituted solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence in this situation, and doesn’t believe that either applies. Oh, and another SNC-Lavalin executive had fraud and bribery charges thrown out of court because they took too long to get to trial, with the judge admonishing the “culture of complacency” in the Crown’s office.

In pundit reaction, Susan Delacourt looks at Butts’ exit as an object lesson against concentrating too much power in the PMO – something Trudeau swore he wouldn’t do, and yet ended up doing anyway. Chris Selley looks at Butts’ departure as an opportunity for the PM to get some new advisors who are based in this reality. Andrew Coyne has questions about Butts’ resignation, and points to some key lines in his resignation letter that may provide clues as to what’s to come. My column wonders if Wilson-Raybould is playing us by keeping voluntarily silent and letting everyone else fill in the blanks.

Good reads:

• Karina Gould suggested that the Procedure and House Affairs committee look into better regulating social media companies like Twitter and Facebook.
• CSE is helping Australia’s cyber-security agency after their political parties suffered hacks by unknown agents.
• The UN is appealing to parliamentarians to keep the Mali peacekeeping mission going to prevent a gap until the Romanians can take over.
• The National Energy Board has rejected a call by environmental groups to re-open the scope of the Trans Mountain expansion review.
• A former Radio-Canada journalist has been tapped to lead the operations of the Leaders’ Debates Commission (which is headed by Rt. Hon. David Johnston).
• The Speaker said that the reported incident of racial profiling on the Hill could not be a breach of privilege, but that it should be pursued further (after he apologised).
• The Parliamentary Protective Service wants more money for raises and to expand in order to replace the RCMP in more duties on Parliament Hill.
• First-term Liberal MP TJ Harvey has decided he won’t run again.
• While the “protest convoy” arrived, it wasn’t very much, but both Maximer Bernier and Andrew Scheer addressed them, Scheer cherry-picking their messages.
• Bernier’s use of “People’s Party of Canada” is being sued in a copyright claim.
• Here’s a lengthy read about Brian Mulroney’s road to reputational rehabilitation.
• With Gerald Butt’s resignation, here’s a look at his commitment to environmental causes, and whether that may shift now that he’s out.
• Alberta is planning on spending $3.7 billion to lease 4400 rail cars to move oil to market.

Odds and ends:

Three stories from me are now online at Law Times, looking at the Divorce Act changes, a court ruling around platonic parent adoptions, and “grey” divorces.

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