ATTORNEY GENERAL TABLES PPSC ANNUAL REPORT

OTTAWA, Ontario – August 18^th, 2010 – The Honourable Rob Nicholson, P.C., Q.C., M.P. for Niagara Falls, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the tabling of the Annual Report 2009-2010 of the Public Prosecution Service of Canada.

Mr. Brian Saunders, Director of Public Prosecutions, presented the report to the Attorney General. The report covers the period of April 1^st, 2009 to March 31^st, 2010

“2009-2010 was a very busy year for the Public Prosecution Service of Canada with a caseload numbering over 76,000 files,” Mr. Nicholson said. “While drug prosecution files continue to represent a large portion of the cases being handled on behalf of the Crown, the year was marked by the conclusion of several major cases, including terrorism and war crimes prosecutions.”

“I am proud of the hard work and effort put forth by PPSC staff across Canada. Their dedication is reflective of the mission and values statement adopted this past year by the PPSC which emphasizes the importance of helping to keep our country safe by working within our criminal justice system all the while carrying out our mandate with respect, integrity and professionalism.”

The PPSC employs 920 staff across Canada in 16 offices with the majority in prosecutorial roles. The PPSC is responsible for prosecuting offences under more than 50 federal statutes and for providing prosecution-related legal advice to law enforcement agencies.

The PPSC was created in December 2006, with the coming into force of the Director of Public Prosecutions Act, Part 3 of the Federal Accountability Act.

SENTENCE IN R. v. YADEGARI

TORONTO – July 29, 2010 – Mahmoud Yadegari, 37, was sentenced today in the Ontario Court of Justice to 20 months in jail in addition to 15½ months of pre-sentence custody, for attempting to export nuclear-related dual-use items without first obtaining the required permits. Because the Court granted double credit for pre-sentence custody, this amounts to a four-year, three-month sentence. The Crown was seeking a total sentence of six and a half years.

On July 6, 2010, he was found guilty of nine charges, including offences under the Customs Act, the United Nations Act, the Export and Import Permits Act, the Nuclear Safety and Control Act and the Criminal Code. He was acquitted of one count of forgery.

On March 4, 2009, Mahmoud Yadegari attempted to export controlled material to Iran. The goods, known as pressure transducers, are subject to a United Nations embargo on nuclear-related exports to Iran. They are also on Canada’s Export Control List, established pursuant to the Export and Import Permits Act. He has been in custody since his arrest.

The parties have 30 days to decide whether they will seek to appeal this sentence. For the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, the decision to appeal is guided by policy outlined in the FPS Deskbook, which is a public document.

The PPSC is responsible for prosecuting offences under federal jurisdiction in a manner that is free of any improper influence and that respects the public interest. The PPSC is also responsible for providing prosecution-related advice to law enforcement agencies across Canada.