Oldgateboatdriver
Army.ca Veteran
- Reaction score
- 1,959
- Points
- 1,010
Actually, while all federally appointed judges (to Provincial superior or supreme courts, appeal courts, and federal court, fed court of appeals and Supreme court of Canada) are appointed by the governor general in council (so the PM, basically) but all of them are presented to the PMO on a short list after they have been selected to be there by "screening" committees. These committees always include representatives of the appropriate Bar, the public and of the court to which the appointment will be made. So it is perfectly appropriate for the screening committee to consult the Supreme court while vetting candidates.
On the other hand, the Chief Justice has regular contacts with the Minister of Justice, or the PMO or the various Bar, Canadian and provincial, and the other courts of Canada, on various administrative or technical issues relating to the Court but never to discuss cases before the court or with the potential to end up before the court.
A conversation, before the short list is sent too the PMO, that would merely point out, without any comments whatever on the character of justice Nadon, that his provenance could constitute a problem with regards to the technical requirements for qualification in this case (not any personal qualifications), would not be inappropriate.
Dragging something like this in public to make it look improper by a serving PM who (should) knows better just to cast a pall over the Chief Justice would be very inappropriate. I certainly hope that G.G. Johnson would mention this in his usual dispatches to her Majesty.
On the other hand, the Chief Justice has regular contacts with the Minister of Justice, or the PMO or the various Bar, Canadian and provincial, and the other courts of Canada, on various administrative or technical issues relating to the Court but never to discuss cases before the court or with the potential to end up before the court.
A conversation, before the short list is sent too the PMO, that would merely point out, without any comments whatever on the character of justice Nadon, that his provenance could constitute a problem with regards to the technical requirements for qualification in this case (not any personal qualifications), would not be inappropriate.
Dragging something like this in public to make it look improper by a serving PM who (should) knows better just to cast a pall over the Chief Justice would be very inappropriate. I certainly hope that G.G. Johnson would mention this in his usual dispatches to her Majesty.