Prime Minister, Chief Justice Spat Worrying Canadian Lawyers

The head of the association that represents lawyers in Canada is trying to smooth a rift between Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the chief justice of the Canadian Supreme Court. Harper has spoken out publicly against Chief Justice Beverly McLachlin, saying she acted improperly when advising the government that Federal Court of Appeals judge Marc Nadon, recently appointed to join the Supreme Court, may be ineligible to serve. Nadon was named to the Court by Harper, but in March the Supreme Court judges affirmed by a 6-1 vote that Nadon does not meet the unique requirements that apply to Quebec appointees. The Canadian Bar Association says an open rift between Prime Minister and Chief Justice is troubling, and President Fred Headon said he was concerned that it may erode public confidence in the Court.