I was delighted when Shelley Youngblut, CEO & Creative Ringleader of Wordfest, asked if I would like to interview Beverley McLachlin, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, on stage before a live audience about her new book Truth Be Told: My Journey through Life and the Law.
Continue readingTag: Marc Nadon
Politics and its Discontents: Apologize, You Sleazy Bastard
The Geneva-based, International Commision of Jurists, has issued a written demand that Sideshow Steve Harper and his supposed justice minister, Peter MacKay, apologize to Chief Justice Beverly McLachlin for the drive-by smear job they tried to pull on her following the failure of their bid to seat Marc Nadon on
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Harper’s Attack on Supreme Court Chief Justice McLachlin Unacceptable
Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s attack on Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin is an attack on Canadians and Canadian democracy. It’s unacceptable. by: Obert Madondo | May 4, 2014 Prime Minister Stephen Harper is so desperate for political capital he’s willing to publicly smear the Supreme Court of Canada and its Chief Justice, Beverley
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: The Harper Government Attempts To Politicize The Courts
In the wake of a series of failed gambits involving the Supreme Court, we now find Harper attempting to assassinate the character of the Chief Justice. “I can tell you this,” said a clearly irked Harper, who appointed Nadon last September after commissioning independent legal advice that approved of the
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: A Failed Puppet Master?
In a withering assessment of Stephen Harper, that is the conclusion Andrew Coyne seems to draw in his National Post column: We are so heavily invested, we media types, in the notion of Harper as master strategist, able to see around corners and think seven moves ahead and what not,
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Nothing New Here
All who find change unsettling will be reassured by the following video from today’s Question Period, the House’s first day back after a two-week break. Nothing has changed. Tory arrogance and contempt for Canadians is in full display: Recommend this Post
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Is Stephen Harper Preparing to Reappoint Marc Nadon?
I can hardly believe it, so disturbing, so absolutely insane is the idea.Stephen Harper has just been slapped in the face by the Supreme Court for trying to appoint a judge who wasn't qualified for the job.He has been humbled and humiliated by a 6-1 decision.He should be sitting in
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: Further Analysis On Marc Nadon’s Appointment
Marc Nadon is, for now at least, out of the picture as far as Canada’s Supreme Court is concerned. Frankly, I know very little about Justice Nadon’s beliefs and history as a judge. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he happened to lean towards Mr. Harper’s “hang-em-high” approach to
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Stephen Harper’s Supreme Day of Humiliation
It has to be the most humiliating moment of Stephen Harper's political life.He tried to appoint a judge to the Supreme Court who wasn't properly qualified, for crass political reasons.He rushed the appointment through Parliament, and then tried to change the law retroactively to make it legal.He tried to subvert the
Continue readingMontreal Simon: The Day Stephen Harper Was Pounded By the Supreme Court
Well it's lucky he is in Ukraine challenging Vladimir Putin to come and fight him. Or doing whatever he can to inflame the situation and win the ethnic vote.Because if he was in Canada, he'd be lying on the canvas after being pounded by the Supreme Court.Read more »
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: TWO Judicial Setbacks In ONE Day!
I don’t want to chortle; I really don’t. Chortling bespeaks a certain pettiness and vindictiveness that I would like, in my more high-mined moments, to think I am above. But I am weak, and so today is a good day to indulge in some whole-hearted chortling. First came the news
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: Harper Loses 2 Gambits In 2 Days
Harper has lost two gambits to undermine Canada’s legal system in two days. First, an attempt to make prison sentences harsher by retroactively killing an early parole program was knocked down yesterday. Then, this morning, the Supreme Court swatted down Harper’s appointment of Marc Nadon to the Supreme Court. Even
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: The Hole We’re In Gets Deeper
Yesterday, the Supreme Court was put in the embarrassing position of deciding whether or not to approve one of its potential members. The reason was another of Stephen Harper’s attempts to get his way. The arguments in front of the course were legal. But the real question was — and
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Stephen Harper and the Hope He Cannot Destroy
The other night I wrote about how gloomy so many progressive Canadians seem to be these days, in the brutal cold of a Canadian winter and the sinister darkness of Harperland.And how I on the other hand have never felt more optimistic. Because I know we're closer to the end
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Stephen Harper’s Ghastly Supreme Court Appointment
Well I see that Stephen Harper is determined to prove he can chew gum, padlock Parliament, corrupt the Senate, AND degrade the Supreme Court all at the same time. For what else are we to conclude from this ghastly appointment? Read more »
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