[Canada] Canadian Politics Redux

[PRC]

Ah, didn't know that provincial superior court judges were federal appointments!  That's the case in Quebec as well?

[Jacob]

Yes, word is that the Minister is waiting to appoint "diverse" candidates.  All the local journalists know the problem and have interviewed the Chief Justice on almost a weekly basis.  but this is a federal not a local issue.

edit:  I should add that there is nothing wrong with wanting to increase diversity on the bench.  But the suspicion is that this is really code for wanting to appoint judges with a particular ideological and legal view about certain issues.

Thanks for the edit - I was just about to ask whether there's a shortage of sufficiently diverse candidates and whether that shortage (if it exists) is likely short term or not. But if it's about ideological fit then that doesn't matter that much except as supporting evidence for or against that hypothesis.

[Oexmelin]

Ah, didn't know that provincial superior court judges were federal appointments!  That's the case in Quebec as well?

Yes, as per BNA act of 1867.

[Grey Fox]

Ah, didn't know that provincial superior court judges were federal appointments!  That's the case in Quebec as well?

Yes. ^^

[Malthus]

I don't understand - if it is an ideological issue, why not appoint a slew of judges of the 'correct' ideological orientation right now? Why wait?

I don't doubt there is some sort of strategy behind this, I just don't understand what it is.

[Barrister]

I don't understand - if it is an ideological issue, why not appoint a slew of judges of the 'correct' ideological orientation right now? Why wait?

I don't doubt there is some sort of strategy behind this, I just don't understand what it is.

In typical Liberal fashion, they're waiting to see who makes the most donations to the Liberal Party.

[crazy canuck]

I don't understand - if it is an ideological issue, why not appoint a slew of judges of the 'correct' ideological orientation right now? Why wait?

I don't doubt there is some sort of strategy behind this, I just don't understand what it is.

I am baffled as well. 

[Jacob]

In typical Liberal fashion, they're waiting to see who makes the most donations to the Liberal Party.

Are you seriously suggesting that the Liberal Party is offering up judgeships for cash?

[Barrister]

In typical Liberal fashion, they're waiting to see who makes the most donations to the Liberal Party.

Are you seriously suggesting that the Liberal Party is offering up judgeships for cash?

Not quite so crassly.

But I know several QB Justices who were appointed in the past with painfully obvious Liberal party connections.

[Barrister]

I don't know how much any of you care about Alberta politics... but here's another little story.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-party-greg-clark-leadership-politics-1.4416559

The fledgling Alberta Party has bumped along for a few years in this province.  It started out as a right-wing party, till the Wildrose stole their thunder.  They then merged with a left-of centre party and branded themselves as centrists, but in 2010 still managed to win no seats.

By 2015 with a new leader they showed marginally more success - their leader won a seat.  That had them tied with the provincial Liberal Party.

But suddenly with the PCs merged with Wildrose to form the United Conservatives, the Alberta Party has seen a surge in new members.  Just a few days ago a former NDP MLA joined the Alberta Party, and they were hoping to bring aboard a couple of former PC MLAs who declined to join the UCP caucus.

But now suddenly the leader Greg Clarke has resigned, apparently from pressure from the board of directors of the party.

Right at the end of the article the NDP sums up what is likely happening:

Government house leader and Transportation Minister Brian Mason has seen plenty of political manoeuvres play out over the years. To him, it's clear what happened with Clark.

"I've been around politics for a long time, and it looks like he was pushed out by a bunch of PCs that were basically taking over his party," said Mason.

The late PC premier Ralph Klein often said "politics is a blood sport."

"I've called it that, too," said Mason.

So they're trying to re-mold the Alberta party.  They're certainly trying to appeal to the CCs of the world - no social conservatism whatsoever, but trying to take the fiscal edge.  But if these people are former PCs, they didn't have enough support to even be a speed-bump in Jason Kenney's take-over of the party.  And it's pretty much the same message the Alberta Party (and the Liberal Party, who still sit at 1 MLA in the house) has tried for years without much success.

Last opinion poll I can find (from the summer, which is ages ago) had the UCP at 57%, NDP at 29%, Alberta Party at 9% and Liberals at 4%.

[Grey Fox]

What does PC stand for?

[Barrister]

What does PC stand for?

Progressive Conservative.  The party of Peter Lougheed, Ralph Klein, and Alison Redford.  The Party that Jason Kenney became leader of promising unity with WIldrose, and in which he won handily.

[Grey Fox]

Ah, yeah. DUH.

My francophone mind has trouble starting any abbreviation with a P with an other word than Party.

[PRC]

The party of Peter Lougheed, Ralph Klein, and Alison Redford.

Doesn't look right to include Redford's tarnished name with the other two. 

[Barrister]

The party of Peter Lougheed, Ralph Klein, and Alison Redford.

Doesn't look right to include Redford's tarnished name with the other two.

It helps to explain why it's a former party.