Tories want Rota to stand up to PM

Local Conservative Party members are calling on Nipissing MP Anthony Rota to stand up to the Prime Minister.
Further information is included in the following news release issued tonight by the North Bay Conservative Party riding association.
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NORTH BAY,
Gordan Rennie, President of the Nipissing-Timiskaming Conservative Association, today called on MP Anthony Rota to stand against the continued arrogance of the Prime Minister’s Office and fight for an open Supreme Court appointment process.

“When Mr. Martin took over as Liberal leader he promised to address the democratic deficit in Ottawa and give more respect and authority to our elected representatives,” said Rennie.

“Yet, it appears that very little has changed from the days of Jean Chrétien; the Prime Minister continues to impose his personal agenda giving Members of Parliament the cold shoulder.”

During the election campaign Prime Minister Martin made much of his promise to provide MPs with the opportunity to review and comment on the appointment of judges to the Supreme Court of Canada.

However, on Tuesday when Martin announced his choices for the top court he said that MPs would only be allowed to ask the Justice Minister questions about the intended appointees, rather than have the judges meet with and discuss their suitability with MPs directly. Further, he gave the MPs only 24 hours notice of the names to be reviewed for appointment.

“This is not what was promised and falls short of Mr. Martin’s commitment to provide our elected representatives with a meaningful role in reviewing judicial appointments to the Supreme Court,” said Rennie.

The second issue at play is the fact that the Prime Minister is taking this opportunity to appoint two activist judges with a history of re-writing legislation. Both intended appointees are well known for their support of re-writing legislation to advance the same-sex marriage agenda.

“Rather than fight for Parliament’s right to defend the traditional definition of marriage, the Liberals are continuing to pad the courts with activist judges who turn around and legislate what the Liberal Party is itself afraid to do,” said Rennie.

“That has been the Liberal agenda for decades – let the judges change the laws that rightfully elected MPs have enacted.”

“Mr. Rota is supposed to speak for the people of this riding in Ottawa,” continued Mr. Rennie.

“We expect him to fulfil that role. That begins by telling the Prime Minister that the voters of Nipissing-Timiskaming expect to be heard on the issue of judicial appointments. No more backroom decisions made by the Prime Minister and a few cronies. We expect a full, public appointment process and an end to judicial activism. If Mr. Rota and his colleagues make a decision, the people can pass judgement at the next election. If a Liberal appointed judge makes a decision, it is essentially irreversible.”