PMO consulted “Liberal database” for partisan judicial appointments

According to recent reports, the Prime Minister’s Office is using a partisan tool to seek Liberal party diehards for judicial appointment candidates.

The tool, called Liberalist, is described as a “voter identification and relationship management system” for the Liberal Party of Canada. It’s intended purpose is to track and catalogue Liberal supporters and potential voters.

Documents obtained by the Globe and Mail show that members of the PMO were querying candidates for judicial appointments in the database to check if they were listed as recent Liberal party “supporters”.

“Political activity or donations have no impact on a person’s candidacy or selection for a judicial appointment. Our government has appointed  people that have donated or been involved with parties of all political stripes,” claimed Chantal Gagnon, a spokesperson for the PMO.

Estimates show that approximately 25 per cent of the judicial appointments under Justin Trudeau were Liberal party supporters and donors.

Judicial appointments have been a hot topic for the current government and a point of tension with the former Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould.

According to a leak, Wilson-Raybould was at odds with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over her choice for the Supreme Court. Wilson-Raybould, who favoured Manitoba judge Glenn Joyal, was rejected by the PM due to his political leanings.

Currently the leak is being investigated by the federal Privacy Commissioner.