I know my posts at The Court aren’t generally of mass importance to my readership, but this one is different. Recently, a collection of Christian activist groups, led by the abominable Charles McVety, petitioned the Canadian Judicial Council for the removal of Chief Justice Beverly McLachlin, based on her participation in the Order of Canada Advisory Council’s nomination of Henry Morgentaler to the Order of Canada.
What’s important is that their letter is little more than a pack of lies.
I’m serious, folks: spread this one around if you can. This is little more than an attempt by Canada’s religious right wing to create the “judicial activism” controversy out of nothing.
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You missed a big one:
“The Council shall invite the Deputy Minister of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade to participate in the review of nominations for HONORARY Companions, Officers and Members.” (emphasis mine)
Honorary orders are awarded to foreigners. Take a look at the list (cut and past from Wikipedia):
Honorary companion
* Nelson Mandela; the former President of South Africa (1998)[26]
* Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother; former Royal Consort of Canada (2000)[27][28][29]
* Frank Gehry; architect (2002)[30][31]
* Boutros Boutros-Ghali; former Secretary-General of the United Nations (2004)[32]
* Václav Havel; former President of the Czech Republic (2004)
* Aga Khan IV; Imam of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims (2005)
[edit] Honorary officer
* John Kenneth Galbraith; influential American economist[33]
* James Hillier; inventor of the electron microscope (1997)
* Charles Dutoit; conductor of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra (appointed 1997, invested 2002)
* Tanya Moiseiwitsch; theatre designer for the Stratford Festival (2003)
* Bernard Pivot; French television host and culture promoter (2008)[34]
* Charles Aznavour; French musician and actor (2008)[35]
[edit] Honorary member
* Zena Sheardown; (appointed 1981, invested 1986) instrumental participant during the Canadian Caper[36]
* Lois Lilienstein; member of Sharon, Lois & Bram (2003)
* Francis Cabot; horticulturist (2005)
* Salome Bey; musician (2005)
Morgentaler, a Canadian, wasn’t being considered (nor would he be eligible) for an Honorary order. Therefore DFAIT (or it’s successor ministries) didn’t have anything to add to the discussion.
I’m really surprised you missed that, and went with an argument based on technicalities instead.
Dammit, I did see and write about that, and somehow the paragraph got eaten when I was writing it. Thanks. I would have missed that otherwise.
Can you edit? or is it considered published?
It is indeed edited now.
I’ll try, but I must warn you, I have to spend most of my energy just to combat the stupidity here in the states.
Judicial Activism.. the mantra of any conservative hack who can’t get it into their empty-headed skulls that economic and spiritual abuse is no less socially abusive than physical abuse.