Opinion
A judicial appointment is a political decision, and it should be
By Sheila Copps Jul. 8, 2019
My point is that legal appointments in Canada are inherently political. So it should come as no surprise to anyone that in a province of 761,000 people, Liberal MP Dominic LeBlanc has a personal connection to almost every legal appointment made during his time in government.
Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc, who temporarily stepped aside from cabinet in April to deal with his non-Hodgkin lymphoma, is under attack after the CBC reported last week that five of the last six judicial appointments in his home province of New Brunswick included Mr. LeBlanc's neighbour, a family relation and three lawyers who helped him pay off his unsuccessful 2008 leadership bid. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
OTTAWA—Canada’s long-serving former chief justice of the Supreme Court, Beverley McLachlin, almost didn’t get that job. The first woman in Canadian history to hold the position faced some pretty stiff competition.
Related Stories
Explore, analyze, understand
The Federal Response to the Opioid Crisis
This e-book summarizes the work on the opioid crisis that is going on at the federal level: what the House of Commons and the Senate have been listening to and acting on to help stop and mitigate this tragedy.
Get the book
This e-book summarizes the work on the opioid crisis that is going on at the federal level: what the House of Commons and the Senate have been listening to and acting on to help stop and mitigate this tragedy.
Get the book
2018 Guide to Lobbyist Gifting Rules
The 2018 Guide to Lobbyist Gifting Rules is the essential resource for your work on federal issues.
Get the book
The 2018 Guide to Lobbyist Gifting Rules is the essential resource for your work on federal issues.
Get the book
Politics This Morning
Your email has been added. An email has been sent to your address, please click the link inside of it to confirm your subscription.
More in News
Majority of Canadians may support TMX, but the project remains an electoral risk for Liberals: pollsters
It’s up to the prime minister to decide if he ‘wants to go into the next election arresting Indigenous communities and leaders,’ says the Squamish Nation council’s Dustin Rivers.Too much party control in ‘highly uncompetitive’ candidate selection: Samara study
‘Parties effectively get to choose the pool of people who will become Members of Parliament,' says Paul Thomas, based on Samara’s recent analysis of 6,600 candidates between 2004 and 2015.Alberta inquiry into ‘foreign-funded’ anti-energy industry groups latest chapter in ‘misdirected attacks,’ says charity
The provincial NDP critic says inquiry is 'only going to increase opposition to energy development in Alberta,' with one expert calling it attempt to put a 'chill' on activism in Canada.Lack of Inuit language supports a key concern for advocates 20 years after Nunavut formed
Fostering use of Inuit languages was a key aim in creating Nunavut, but 20 years later, NTI president Aluki Kotierk says there's been a 'failure' when it comes to providing essential services to the public in Inuktut.Take a lesson, premiers: women’s soccer leading the charge on gender equality
While Canada's premiers were at a prostates-only party in Saskatoon and Donald Trump was being Donald Trump, the U.S Women’s National soccer team was disrupting all manner of cultural norms.Singh looks to defend Quebec seats in weeklong tour across province
Federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh is touring key ridings in Quebec this week currently held by New Democrats. Canada should keep focus on human rights in midst of U.S.-Iran spiralling tensions, say activists
Global Affairs says Canada's priority in engagement with Iran is the case of Maryam Mombeini who has not been able to leave Iran since March of 2018 following the death of her imprisoned husband. Despite Greens’ rising popularity, NDP and Bloc more likely to hold balance of power in next House: pollster Lyle
If the current voting trends continued until election time, the Green Party could win 14 seats, says EKOS president Frank Graves. But he also says if progressive voters choose to vote strategically to prevent the Conservatives from forming government, they could vote for the Liberals. Conservatives and Scheer falling behind in Ontario, suggests Campaign Research poll
The Liberals also surpassed the Conservatives nationally for the first time in a year in polls by the Toronto firm.Trending Stories
