I don’t know if Justice David Jenkins was a Grit or a Tory in his pre-bench life but he is a fine judge. He sat on the hearing I was involved with which led to the recognition that political discrimination had to end in Canada’s last hold out for Victorian values, Prince Edward Island. I think my favorite question was something like “so if the other side is right and this is not discrimination, the Government could then set up a Provincial Park and say ‘No NDP supporters allowed?'” My answer was, of course, yes. He also asked, because political belief had never before been proven to be protected by The Charter, how it was that no other government had had it proven against them? I said that no other had the gall and he nodded in agreement.
So good for Stephen Harper in doing the right thing in this case – not a habit he has gotten into when it comes to appointments. And a happy retirement to Justice Mitchell, whose portfolio as Chief Justice of The Appeals Division in Canada’s tiniest province included handling adoptions, including the one in our family. He presided over the event with great pleasure which made the day an ever greater one for our family.