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Exploring the Links between Party and Appointment: Canadian Federal Judicial Appointments from 1989 to 2003

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 September 2010

Lori Hausegger ,
Troy Riddell ,
Matthew Hennigar  and
Emmanuelle Richez
Lori Hausegger*
Affiliation:
Boise State University
Troy Riddell*
Affiliation:
University of Guelph
Matthew Hennigar*
Affiliation:
Brock University
Emmanuelle Richez*
Affiliation:
McGill University
*
Lori Hausegger, Department of Political Science, Boise State University, 1900 University Dr., Boise, ID 83725-1935, lorihausegger@boisestate.edu.
Troy Riddell, Department of Political Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON NIG 2W1, riddell@uoguelph.ca
Matthew Hennigar, Department of Political Science, Brock University, 500 Glenridge Avenue, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, matthew.hennigar@brocku.ca
Emmanuelle Richez, Department of Political Science, McGill University, Rm. 414, Leacock Building, 855 Sherbrooke St. West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2T7, emmanuelle.richez@mail.mcgill.ca
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Abstract

Abstract. Studies of federal judicial appointments made before 1988 discovered significant partisan ties between judicial appointees and the governments appointing them. In 1988, in response to criticism of these “patronage appointments,” the Mulroney government introduced screening committees to the process. This article explores the impact of these committees. Using information gained from surveys of legal elites, we trace the minor and major political connections of federal judicial appointees from 1989 to 2003 in order to determine whether patronage has continued despite the reform to the process. We discover that political connections continued to play an important role in who was selected for a judicial appointment. However, these connections were not quite as common as those found before 1988, and the new process does appear to have prevented the politically motivated appointment of completely unqualified candidates. Interestingly, our findings also suggest that the impact of patronage varies by region and interacts with other, newer influences, in particular, concerns for group representation on the bench. The paper concludes by briefly discussing these results in the context of the relationship between judicial selection and politics with a comparative perspective.

Résumé. Les études sur les nominations judiciaires fédérales réalisées avant 1988 ont découvert des liens partisans étroits entre les juges nommés à la cour et les gouvernements les nommant. En 1988, en réponse aux critiques sur le favoritisme entourant les nominations, le gouvernement Mulroney a introduit des comités d'évaluation dans le processus. Cet article explore l'impact de ces comités. En utilisant de l'information recueillie lors de sondages menés auprès de la communauté légale, nous retraçons les connexions politiques mineures et majeures des attributaires judiciaires fédéraux de 1989 à 2003 en vue de déterminer si le favoritisme a persisté malgré la réforme du système. Nous découvrons que les connexions politiques continuent à jouer un rôle important dans la sélection des juges. Toutefois, ces connexions ne sont pas aussi importantes que celles qu'on a identifiées avant 1988 et le nouveau processus semble avoir réussi à prévenir les nominations partisanes de candidats entièrement non qualifiés. Les résultats de notre recherche suggèrent également que l'effet du favoritisme varie par région et dépend aussi d'autres facteurs plus nouveaux, en particulier le souci de représentation de certains groupes au sein de la magistrature. L'article conclut en discutant brièvement ces résultats dans le contexte de la relation entre la sélection judiciaire et la politique dans une perspective comparative.

Type
Research Article
Information
Canadian Journal of Political Science/Revue canadienne de science politique , Volume 43 , Issue 3 , September 2010 , pp. 633 - 659
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Political Science Association 2010

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