ALG's Frank Addario is quoted in the Toronto Star on Doug Ford's changes to the selection process for the Chief Justice of the Ontario Court of Justice. On December 15 the Star reported that the Ford government was taking "complete control" of the process to select the successor to Chief Justice Lisa Maisonneuve, whose term ends in May 2023. The Star reported that Attorney General Doug Downey is planning to personally receive applications from judges, conduct interviews, and make "discreet inquiries" with other judges about candidates' suitability. Ontario judges are raising concerns that the proposed process violates separation-of-powers principles by asking judges to communicate directly with the executive branch.
Frank told the Star:
“Once appointed, the judiciary is independent of the executive branch and the attorney general. [...] Bear in mind that the No. 1 customer for a lot of judges in the Ontario Court of Justice is the attorney general. It’s very important that if there are going to be discreet inquiries, or if judges are going to put their names forward, that they do so through their chief, and that that dialogue stay within the judiciary and not extend to the executive branch. The chief is their one representative to the executive branch.”
To read more please visit the Toronto Star website.