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EDMONTON – Premier Danielle Smith and Justice Minister Mickey Amery are calling on Ottawa to reform the federal judicial appointment process, arguing Alberta should have a formal role in selecting judges for senior courts.
In a statement released Tuesday, Smith said she has written to Prime Minister Mark Carney urging changes to how vacancies are filled on the Alberta Court of King’s Bench, the Alberta Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada.
Smith also criticized federal bilingualism requirements for judicial appointments, saying they do not reflect linguistic realities in Western Canada and alienate Albertans and other western Canadians.
She said the province is seeking a meaningful role in the appointment process to improve public confidence in the justice system, support national unity within Alberta and ensure judicial decision making reflects the values and expectations of Albertans.
Amery said provinces should have a say in judicial appointments, pointing to Quebec’s collaborative model for appointing judges to its superior court, court of appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada. He noted that for three of the nine seats reserved for Quebec on the top court, a special board is struck with members appointed by both the federal and provincial governments.
He said Alberta’s justice system should reflect the people it serves and that allowing provincial input would enhance trust in Canada’s legal framework.
To address current and future vacancies, Amery said Alberta has proposed creating a special advisory committee made up of four nonpartisan experts from Alberta and the federal government to identify highly qualified candidates.
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