Quebec Government Announces New Judicial Selection Rules

Yesterday, the Quebec government announced a new process for the selection of provincial judges in response to recommendations by a commission of inquiry led by former Supreme Court of Canada Justice Michel Bastarache.

The commission examined allegations of influence peddling and political favouritism in the naming of Quebec judges.

Under new regulations to be published October, there will be a new judicial selection panel made up of five members: a sitting judge, two people named by the Quebec Bar Association, and two members of the public, named by Quebec's Office of Professions. The panel will submit a restricted list of three names to the justice minister for each judicial opening, and the minister will pick one name to be submitted to the provincial cabinet.

Under the new system, there will no longer be any permanent list of candidates interested in a judgeship. There will be a new competition for each position becoming available.

Reactions and analysis:

• Plusieurs recommandations du Barreau du Québec sont retenues (Quebec Bar Association)
• Vers la dépolitisation (La Presse)
• Charest ne se mêlera plus de la nomination des juges (Le Devoir)
• Nomination des juges: la fin des «post-it» (Journal de Québec / Canoe)
  

Earlier Library Boy posts on the Bastarache Commission include:

• Bastarache Commission Expert Studies on Judicial Nominations (September 13, 2010)
• Bastarache Commission Report on Judicial Nominations in Quebec (January 20, 2011)
• Quebec Government Changes Judicial Nomination Process (February 17, 2011)