POLITICAL LOWLIGHTS OF 2014 – #12: Stephen Harper Attacks the Supreme Court and the Chief Justice

In 2014, we saw a Conservative government plagued by scandals, out of touch with challenges facing Canadians and preoccupied with photo-ops and their own partisan interests. Meanwhile, Justin Trudeau’s Liberals fail to hold Conservatives to account and, after two years, we still have no idea where they stand on key issues.

A year’s worth of scandals and ineptitude condensed into our annual list of the top political lowlights of the year... LOWLIGHT #12: Stephen Harper Attacks the Supreme Court and the Chief Justice

Any time an institution doesn’t share the Prime Minister’s point of view, he attempts to discredit it. The list is long, and includes the Parliamentary Budget Officer, the Chief Electoral Officer, and the CBC.

But last May, the Prime Minister reached a new level of hypocrisy when he attacked the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Beverley McLachlin.

Displeased with the Court’s decision to reject his nomination of Judge Marc Nadon and several Conservative laws, the Prime Minister accused the Chief Justice of violating the principle of the separation of powers by trying to warn that Marc Nadon was ineligible to represent Quebec on the Supreme Court.

Outrage over Harper’s malicious attack on the Chief Justice wasn’t far behind: the Council of Canadian Law Deans called the remarks an “unprecedented attack on one of the most important institutions of Canada's constitutional democracy.” Columnist Yves Boisvert called his attempts at intimidation “repugnant” and “pathetic” (La Presse, May 5, 2014). Even former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney chastised Stephen Harper, saying this attack against the Chief Justice “sent the wrong message”.

Of course, the responsibility for Judge Nadon’s bungled appointment rests squarely on the Prime Minister’s shoulders. Instead of attacking the Chief Justice, he should have learnt his lesson and set up a real consultation process for Supreme Court nominations with full respect for Parliament and the provinces, as he promised to do.

Canadians deserve better. And after nine years of Stephen Harper, Canadians just can’t afford to wait for Justin Trudeau to get ready.

Tom Mulcair’s New Democrats can be trusted to hold Conservatives to account while fighting for families and proposing common sense solutions for issues they are facing every day.