Judge Cory said each of the four public inquiries should include:
- An independent commissioner or panel of commissioners.
- Full powers to subpoena witnesses and documents together with all the powers usually exercised by a commissioner in a public inquiry.
- The ability to select its own counsel who should have all the powers usually associated with counsel appointed to act for a commission or tribunal of public inquiry.
- The tribunal should also be empowered to engage investigators who might be police officers or retired police officers to carry out such investigative or other tasks as may be deemed essential to the work of the tribunal.
- Hearings should, as much as possible, be held in public.
- The findings and recommendations of the commissioners should be in writing and made public.