The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) is criticizing the House of Commons "public hearings" in respect of two new nominees to the Supreme Court of Canada as a waste of time and tax dollars that will not arrest Canada's democratic deficit. "There was no public input or public consultation at all," stated CTF federal director John Williamson. "The nomination process for these very powerful positions should be opened up to give Parliamentarians, and all Canadians, a degree of input and oversight. Unfortunately, the entire process has been conducted behind closed doors and tightly controlled by the Prime Minister's office, from start to finish." Federal Justice Minister Irwin Cotler and Judicial Committee Chair Derek Lee, stated during yesterday's hearings that the nominations would not be reversed or changed, regardless of what questions were asked by MPs on the Committee. "Since any conclusions the Judicial Committee expresses will have absolutely no effect on the outcome of the appointments, this new ad hoc process is the equivalent of a show trial, which does nothing to reduce Canada's democratic deficit," added Williamson. "The hearing is a rubber stamp." "There should be public scrutiny of those individuals nominated to the Supreme Court because they exercise so much judicial power," concluded Williamson. "The nine Supreme Court judges have a huge influence on public policy in Canada. Not only social issues like the definition of marriage and the enforcement of pay equity, but fiscal issues like welfare benefits and health care policy are influenced by the courts."
