Toews should at least be honest about his attacks on judicial independence

Bad things that Vic Toews has done:

(My highly unprofessional analysis)

-Decided that the police should have a say in the appointment of judges. This part really bugs me:

But according to a Winnipeg newspaper, Justice Minister Vic Toews said he plans to add police representatives to the committees and to remove the "highly recommended" category, thereby requiring the committees to rate candidates on a pass or fail system.

Looks like a sneaky, underhanded way to select more rightwing judges. It is no secret that the conservatives have an undying affection for mandatory minimum sentencing. You know, the mandatory minimum sentencing that takes away the ability of a judge to decide a sentence based on the circumstances of the case. The same policy that sent Robert Latimer to jail for ten years, despite the fact that he is no danger to society.*

Our "Justice Minister" wants to keep the most highly qualified people from becoming judges and he wants to give the police chiefs a say in the selection process. I'm having a hard time understanding why that is not a conflict of interest. Hmmm I will have to look up the definition of a police state.

Toews therefore appears comfortable with ignoring a long-standing and useful convention -- and ignoring bar associations and the judiciary -- in order to advance his own ends, even if those ends work against the interests of the Canadian people. And there is every reason to believe they will. Toews denies this, of course, saying that "the law-enforcement process is a very important aspect of the justice system and to date, they have been under-represented in that process."

Why should the police have any say in the process of selecting judges? They are there to enforce the law and there is no good reason why they should be involved in choosing judges. Is Toews going to consult them on the budget too, because he feels that the police are under-represented in this process? I wouldn't put it past him.

Indeed, the committees may well benefit from broader representation, but Toews's choice of police officers suggests that he's looking for people who agree with his views -- police associations have, after all, been among the strongest supporters of the Conservatives' so called "law-and- order" agenda. This can only further compromise judicial independence.

I think that the views of janitors should also be considered too. To hell with the bar associations and the judiciary. What do they know about this "law" thing anyway?

See? I told you it was a lay womans' analysis.

* I really should leave that can of worms unopened.