February 13, 2007 - The following quote is taken from statements made by Stephen Harper in the House of Commons on April 21, 2005:

"Mr. Speaker, the former director general of the Liberal Party now says that the party exists 'to take power, keep power and win back power.'

The result is that we have stories of fraud, theft, illegal lobbying, filing false election returns, money laundering, campaigning with dirty money and kickbacks. Now we can add to the list paying off campaign workers with an appointment as a judge.

Is it any surprise that the Prime Minister is afraid to come to the democratically elected chamber and show his face?"

And how about these statements from May 11, 2005:

"Most disturbingly, we have heard serious allegations - well, I will correct the wording - confessions from the former executive director of the Liberal Party of Canada in Quebec, again not a rogue operator as the Prime Minister implied, but the chief staff person for the party in the province of Quebec, that Liberal sleaze and patronage extended even to the selection of judges."

"These are among the most serious examples of partisan interference in judicial appointments that have ever been heard in this country."

"The Liberals have undermined Canadians' confidence in our political system and even manipulated our judicial system."

"I would point out that research by journalists and citizens has revealed that 60% of lawyers appointed to the bench in Quebec since 2000 made donations to the Liberal Party. It is frankly hard to take the Minister of Justice or the Prime Minister at their word when they say that politics has nothing to do with judicial appointments."

This response to an answer from Paul Martin during Question Period on May 4, 2005, however, has to take the cake:

"Mr. Speaker, it is not this party that has brought this process into disrepute. It is a top official of the Liberal Party of Canada that has done that. A top official, a man in the know, has revealed that the Liberal Party of Canada has corrupted the system of nominating, vetting and appointing judges.

The Prime Minister knew about these allegations two weeks ago, yet he has done absolutely nothing in terms of reacting, according to his answer.

Is this not a perfect example why that party should be removed from office?"

Hmmmmm....now that he's the Prime Minister, I wonder what Stephen Harper has to say today about this:

"At issue are the advisory committees set up by Ottawa in each province and territory to examine the qualifications of candidates for the bench and make recommendations on their suitability to the federal justice minister.

At least 16 of 31 recent appointments to the panels have Conservative party ties, according to a survey by The Globe and Mail."

"Among those named to the committees are a Nova Scotia firefighter and failed Tory election candidate, three Quebecers who served as cabinet aides in Brian Mulroney's government, an Ontario academic who has criticized the current judiciary for excessive activism, and a Manitoba social studies teacher and former Roman Catholic youth worker."

"But Ed Ratushny, a University of Ottawa law professor, said the advisory panels play a key role by creating the pool of candidates from which the minister makes his choices.

The Tory appointments appear to signal a campaign to 'transform the judiciary by getting people with a particular mind-set as judges,' said Mr. Ratushny. 'I don't think there was a concerted effort to do that under the Liberals.'"

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