Mr. Speaker, I recognize that the hon. member who just gave us his speech with regard to this particular bill is populist. I recognize from the comments he made that he does not see the election of judges as the way he would go. I happen to favour the idea of electing judges, but obviously it does not carry the day with all.
He alluded in his comments to the idea that possibly the appointment process might need to be changed. My question would be along the lines of what ways or suggestions he might propose for changing the appointment process. I happen to like the idea of people being brought before committees, which are responsible in some way or degree for those particular departments, to face some sort of vetting process. There was earlier discussion on this very matter in terms of the process that goes on south of the border, but certainly there are other ways it can be done.
I would just like to mention in the question as well that the way I am familiar with the process working at least in my province, and I am sure it is not the only province that this is done for, is basically along the lines of political favours, whereby a group of cabinet lawyers or possibly, if there is not enough lawyers in the cabinet, the caucus lawyers in a particular party gather around and names of potential appointees are suggested. They run the gauntlet. During the process the lawyers in that particular governing party determine it by saying “Know him, know him, don't know him”. If a person gets enough know hims and general favourable nods, the person gets the appointment. If a person gets more do not know hims, where people say they know him but they do not happen to enjoy his particular political stripe, then he does not get appointed.
The previous comment about people being good donators or good fundraisers does have validity in terms of how people get some of these things. Does the member think that that process is a fairly accurate way of describing some of the ways in which people get chosen to be justices? Does he think that there is some form or process that would be appropriate? What does he particularly think about the idea of running appointees past a cabinet committee that is in the area of responsibility?