9 years to get Judge Paul Cosgrove, 74 years old, to be forced into resigning over a case that he showed very poor judgement in staying a murder charge, that on appeal was brought back.
The Canadian Judicial Council recommended he be emoved for misconduct.
This guy was appointed by Turner in 1974, and was a former cabinet minister.
'You had an option, sir," Brian Mulroney told prime minister John Turner in a televised debate in 1984, after Mr. Turner had rewarded 17 retiring Liberal MPs with plum jobs. One of those 17 was cabinet minister Paul Cosgrove, who became a judge; now he is in danger of becoming the first judge to be voted out of office by Parliament. This week, the Canadian Judicial Council, a body made up of the country's chief justices and associate chief justices, recommended he be removed from office for misconduct. If the country's top judges say you've lost the public's confidence, Parliament can hardly disagree.
What happened? Judge Cosgrove met up with a defence lawyer peddling a conspiracy theory in a murder case; buying in, the judge accused the Crown and police of 150 Charter of Rights violations, and stayed a murder charge. The Ontario Court of Appeal said he was almost entirely wrong, and Ontario's Liberal attorney-general laid a complaint with the judicial council. An inquiry found "pervasive incompetence," but in the end, the CJC urged his ouster for abusing his judicial office, by using rude language, misusing contempt powers and defaming individuals who had done no wrong.
It's a sad story for the 74-year-old Mr. Cosgrove, a public servant since he was a suburban mayor in the 1970s. It is also a cautionary tale for prime ministers. Brian Mulroney was right. They have an option.
The Canadian Judicial Council recommended he be emoved for misconduct.
This guy was appointed by Turner in 1974, and was a former cabinet minister.
'You had an option, sir," Brian Mulroney told prime minister John Turner in a televised debate in 1984, after Mr. Turner had rewarded 17 retiring Liberal MPs with plum jobs. One of those 17 was cabinet minister Paul Cosgrove, who became a judge; now he is in danger of becoming the first judge to be voted out of office by Parliament. This week, the Canadian Judicial Council, a body made up of the country's chief justices and associate chief justices, recommended he be removed from office for misconduct. If the country's top judges say you've lost the public's confidence, Parliament can hardly disagree.
What happened? Judge Cosgrove met up with a defence lawyer peddling a conspiracy theory in a murder case; buying in, the judge accused the Crown and police of 150 Charter of Rights violations, and stayed a murder charge. The Ontario Court of Appeal said he was almost entirely wrong, and Ontario's Liberal attorney-general laid a complaint with the judicial council. An inquiry found "pervasive incompetence," but in the end, the CJC urged his ouster for abusing his judicial office, by using rude language, misusing contempt powers and defaming individuals who had done no wrong.
It's a sad story for the 74-year-old Mr. Cosgrove, a public servant since he was a suburban mayor in the 1970s. It is also a cautionary tale for prime ministers. Brian Mulroney was right. They have an option.
