Opposition parties in Nova Scotia are slamming the provincial government for appointing a former P.C. campaign co-chair as a judge in the provincial court.
The appointments of lawyers Cameron MacKeen, Christa MacKinnon and Jennifer MacLellan KC (King’s Counsel) were announced by the province, Friday afternoon.
In a release, Nova Scotia said Mackeen had practiced in Halifax since 2003 but before that he was a journalist. The statement said he had a private practice before joining Nova Scotia Legal Aid as a staff lawyer in 2013 and has been in the Halifax South office since 2022.
However, there was no mention of MacKeen’s ties with the PC party.
Not long after, Interim Liberal Leader Iain Rankin called out the province for appointing Cameron, claiming it raises serious questions about “judicial independence”.
“Our judiciary must remain impartial and above partisan politics, yet this government has made a pattern of appointments that appear politically motivated,” read the statement from Rankin.
He said, while the Liberals respect the qualifications of the individuals, a move like this undermines public confidence in the courts.
The NDP echoed Rankin with a statement of their own from Official Opposition Critic Justic Critic Suzy Hansen.
She said appointing MacKeen, raises concerns about Premier Tim Houston’s priorities.
“Even the perception of politically motivated appointments could put the independence of the judiciary at risk,” read the statement from Hansen. “No matter an individual’s qualifications, it’s vital that the government make decisions that ensure our courts remain free from partisan politics.”
The appointments took affect Friday, February 13.
