Charest calls inquiry into how Quebec judges are selected

Quebec Premier Jean Charest

Premier responds to allegations made by his former justice minister that Liberal bagmen influenced the selection of judges

 

Rhéal Séguin,

Quebec City — Globe and Mail Update Published on Tuesday, Apr. 13, 2010

Visibly shaken by sensational attacks on his integrity, Quebec Premier Jean Charest is appointing a public inquiry to examine the appointment of judges following allegations by a former justice minister that the Premier was aware of influence peddling involving judicial nominations.

The accusations have shaken his government as well as Mr. Charest’s personal credibility.

“As a man I find it hard. In politics we become the target of those who want to attack us. I accept it but I can’t say that I like, but that’s the way it is,” Mr. Charest said during a news conference this morning.

The stunning accusations by former justice minister Marc Bellemare included charges that he witnessed the transfer of cash donations to circumvent election finance laws and was pressured by influential party fundraisers to appoint specific people as judges.

Mr. Charest will appoint a public inquiry into the nomination of judges but the investigation will stop there. He has no plans to examine closer what Mr. Bellemare has revealed as dubious party financing practices.

Premier Charest said the “serious” allegations by his former justice minister regarding the appointment of judges required an immediate public inquiry to ensure the credibility of Quebec’s justice system.

“This is an issue that deserves this kind of a treatment and excessive partisanship is not the answer and certainly not the best answer to getting to the bottom of what Mr. Bellemare is talking about,” Mr. Charest said.

Mr. Charest has threatened Mr. Bellemare with a lawsuit if he refuses to retract his comments.

“I’ll determine how we will deal with that later. But that’s not my priority. I’m not the cause here,” Mr. Charest said. “What is most important is the integrity of the judicial system.”

The Parti Québécois said the government wasn’t going far enough. The PQ argued that Mr. Charest was in a conflict of interest since according to Mr. Bellemare, the Premier approved the influence peddling and partisan nomination of judges.

Stopping short of asking for Mr. Charest’s resignation, Parti Québécois leader Pauline Marois urged the Premier to appoint two well respected and independent in commissioners to head a public inquiry in the awarding of government contracts and irregular party financing methods.

Ms. Marois proposed that former justice John Gomery who headed the inquiry into the sponsorship scandal in Ottawa along with provincial auditor Renaud Lachance should head the public inquiry.

“Mr. Charest doesn’t have the credibility to proceed in a way that respects the rules of governance,” Ms. Marois said. “We need a public inquiry into the corruption in the construction industry, the awarding of contracts and party financing activities.”

The allegations come at a time when the Liberal government was struggling with the major ethical issues brought forth by the opposition parties aimed at undermining Mr. Charest’s own integrity as Premier.

The Premier insisted that despite spending 25 years in politics never before has personal integrity come under such harsh attacks.

By refusing to meet opposition party demands for a full public inquiry into the numerous allegations of wrongdoing, Mr. Charest has angered Quebec voters to the point where according to a recent public opinion poll they gave the Liberal government a record 77-per-cent disapproval rating.

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Judges are human beings and like any human being can be charismatic, attractive, articulate and portray very positively not to mention leave a very favourable impression on one meeting, a series of meetings and even convince most people most of the time that they are "judicial material".

The problem is, that the judicial appointment process IN ONTARIO and QUEBEC is controlled by those who seek "absolute power" over those "who will have absolute power" and as we know,
Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

In Ottawa, several judges were notorious blue ribbon died in the wool "good liberals" before being appointed to the bench.

Its not until they get to sit on the bench and hand down decisions that the truth emerges.

The "intelligent corrupt judiciary" "play it smart", they save their corrupt decisions for a small percentage of cases.

Other judges are more "rampant" in their not so much as financially corrupt decisions but "legally corrupt" in making decisions for their friends.

In Ottawa we have a few very rotten apples at the bottom of the judicial barrel.

Almost every one in the legal community knows their names but is too scared of them to name them, and for very good reason.

Take the Dishonourable Richard Lajoie of the Ontario Court of Justice, he attempted to use his influence to get the value of his own home "bumped". He was in Northern Ontario, a sought after judge for C.A.S. Matters. When he was described as "an insult to justice" on a web site, he had the author arrested on a charge of criminal defamation, had him arrested , thrown in jail, for a week, held a number of hearings in his own court! and then, refused to testify and asked that the charges be dropped.

In the Ontario Superior Court, we have "the worst of the worst" Justice Allan Sheffield followed by Denis Power. For pure manhating venom, Justice Aitken takes the cake for male hatred.

www.OttawaMensCentre.com