Baby steps (en francais)

A reasonable compromise. It looks like Justice Minister Toews is going to pick the next Supreme Court Justice from the previous government's short list, but then hold public hearings with an ad hoc committee of MPs.

This will probably displease many on all sides of the political spectrum, for various reasons.

Like I said, a reasonable compromise.

Supreme Court pick the first to face MPs
Harper to choose candidate from Liberals' short list

Janice Tibbetts, CanWest News Service
Published: Saturday, February 18, 2006
OTTAWA - The Harper government is poised to name a new Supreme Court of Canada judge next week and subject the contender -- for the first time -- to public questioning by federal politicians.

Justice Minister Vic Toews will announce on Monday that he will set up an ad hoc committee of parliamentarians and hold a public hearing by the end of the month, a source confirmed.

The prospective judge, to be named from one of the Prairie provinces, will be chosen from a short list of three contenders that was submitted to the former Liberal government just before the election was called in November.

While the new judge will be questioned by a committee, the members will not have veto power, as they do in judicial confirmation hearings in the United States.

The final decision will remain with Prime Minister Stephen Harper, as is dictated by the Constitution.

H/T Jack's Newswatch