“Public Hearings” a Supreme Sham

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In keeping with our mandate of greater accountability your CTF issued a statement demanding greater public scrutiny of individuals nominated to the Supreme Court. Canada’s nine Supreme Court judges have a huge influence on public policy. Not only on social issues like the definition of marriage, but important taxpayer issues like the enforcement of pay equity, welfare benefits and even health care policy.

Prior to the last election, Prime Minister Paul Martin promised he would make the selection process of judges to the Supreme Court more transparent and more accountable. This was one way, he told Canadians, to solve Canada’s democratic deficit and give lawmakers -- and by extension all citizens -- more influence in important policy decisions. However, when the federal government recently named two activist judges -- Rosalie Abella and Louise Charron -- as its nominees to Canada’s top court, Members of Parliament were not given a meaningful voice.

Your CTF rejects a so-called House of Commons “public hearing process” as a waste of time and tax dollars. Federal Justice Minister Irwin Cotler and Liberal Committee Chair Derek Lee bluntly stated the government’s nominations cannot be reversed or changed, regardless of what questions were asked by MPs on the committee. Thus, any conclusions the ad hoc judicial committee expresses, will have absolutely no effect on the outcome of the appointments. The process is the equivalent of a show trial.

We believe the nomination process for these very powerful positions should be opened up to give parliamentarians — and all Canadians — a degree of input and oversight. But once again, the entire process has been conducted behind closed doors and tightly controlled by the prime minister’s office from start to finish.

Contact both your MP and federal Justice Minister Cotler. Demand that elected lawmakers have a voice in the selection of Canada’s judges and that Paul Martin honour his commitment to close Canada’s ‘democratic deficit’.

The Honourable Irwin CotlerMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
284 Wellington StreetOttawa, Ontario K1A 0H8
Telephone: (613) 995-0121
Fax: (613) 992-6762
Email: [email protected]

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