Well, one of the things that I recall from that meeting was that Mr. Baird asked me what was the most important recommendation I was making. He said, “Out of the 18, which do you think is the most important?”
That sort of set me back. I responded by saying that I thought they were all important. I didn't think there was a rank of importance. I thought it was a package and that all of the recommendations were important. I wasn't prepared to say, well, you can look at this one and forget about all the rest of them. I thought that each and every one of the recommendations was important for the reasons that I have explained in the report.
It was clear to me; he made it clear.... Then he asked a few questions about what I would do about implementing the report. I responded to him by saying that I was still a judge of the Superior Court at that time. After the commission was over, I went back to the bench and started hearing cases, and I reassumed what we call the judicial reserve, which means that judges don't comment publicly on any matter.
I did point out to him that by the time the two years were up, I would no longer be a judge and I would be free of that judicial reserve. That's why I permit myself to come here and appear before you. I'm able to make comments that a judge would not be advised to make.