Premier Doug Ford is doubling down on his desire to have “likeminded” judges in Ontario courts, a stance described by legal groups as a “substantial threat” to the independence of the courts and the public’s confidence in the justice system.
“I am going to make sure we have like-minded judges,” Ford said Monday during question period at Queen’s Park.
The premier’s comments confirm and go further than already controversial remarks he made to reporters late last week — when he said he wanted “like-minded people in appointments” — in response to a Star exclusive that two of his ex-senior staffers have been appointed to the arm’s-length committee that vets and recommends judges for the Ontario Court of Justice.
His former deputy chief of staff Matthew Bondy is now the chair of the Judicial Appointments Advisory Committee (JAAC), while his former director of stakeholder relations Brock Vandrick has also been a public member of the 13-person committee since December.
“We got elected to get like-minded people in appointments,” Ford said Friday. “I’m not going to appoint some NDP or some Liberal.”
His own office insisted Friday that Ford said he wanted like-minded people selecting judges, and not actually like-minded judges. But on Monday, Ford could not have been more clear: He wants to appoint judges who think like him and his government.
Ford was responding in the legislature to a question from Liberal MPP John Fraser, who asked if he would rescind the appointments of Bondy and Vandrick to the committee.
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Disgraceful behaviour on Parliament Hill
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