The Canadian Bar Association is pleased with the changes to the Questionnaire for Federal Judicial Appointments announced today by the Honourable David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada. The changes reflect feedback we have given to the Department of Justice Canada since the questionnaire was first introduced in October 2016.
The CBA has long supported an open and transparent process for appointing judges, based solely on merit and ultimately representative of the diversity of the Canadian society. We believe the changes announced today will help to achieve that goal. I am particularly pleased to see the incorporation of a more inclusive language for individuals who identify as part of sexual and gender diverse communities, and to see that there have been significant changes on the health and wellness requirements.
I want to thank all the members of the CBA Judicial Issues Subcommittee – and more particularly the chair of the committee Indra Maharaj and CBA Vice President John Stefaniuk who chaired the committee in 2018 – for their ongoing work on this file.
We look forward to continuing working with the Department of Justice Canada to ensure that the appointment process remains open and transparent and reflects Canada’s diversity.