QUESTION PERIOD — Justice
Judicial Selection Process
April 11, 2019
Honourable senators, my question is for Senator Harder. When there was a leak involving the National Shipbuilding Strategy, the federal government asked the RCMP to investigate right away. Now there has also been a leak regarding the process for the appointment of Supreme Court justices, and this leak has harmed the reputation of Manitoba Chief Justice Joyal, and yet no one has mentioned the possibility of an investigation into this matter, not even the Minister of Justice.
How do you explain the double standard applied by this government?
Again, I thank the honourable senator for his question. He will know this question has been asked in recent days and I can give the same answer, and that is that the Minister of Justice has expressed the views of the Government of Canada on this matter.
Yes, last week, you were asked whether the government would investigate the leak about the Supreme Court appointment process. You were also asked whether the government had contacted the Privacy Commissioner, Daniel Therrien, about this matter. You replied that you would make inquiries.
Can you tell us if you have made those inquiries? If so, what was the response? Is there anyone in government who cares enough about this serious leak to conduct an investigation?
Again, as the honourable senator will know when this question was asked, I undertook to make inquiries, and those inquiries are under way.
