Legal Feeds reports that, “Justice Minister and Attorney General Peter MacKay is highlighting the “pressing need” to appoint more female judges and ensure the bench reflects “the changing face of Canada.”

The federal minister spoke with Legal Feeds this morning, elaborating on some of the themes that arose yesterday afternoon when he spoke at the Canadian Bar Association’s annual conference in Saskatoon.

In a question and answer session yesterday, he said the government would consider whether greater transparency around judicial appointments would encourage more diversity.

But he added: “I think the more pressing issue is answering the disparity and appointing more female judges, if I can be so frank.”

He said he knew of “a number of cases” where the pool of applicants suggested by judicial advisory committees included insufficient numbers of women.

“The first course of action would be to “ensure we have fully functioning JACs that include women, that have a greater gender balance. That, I think, will help facilitate some of the disparity,” he said.

He told Legal Feeds encouraging women and people from ethnic minorities to become superior court judges was a “very important objective,” to ensure the bench is drawing from the strongest possible pool of candidates and is a “reflection of the changing face of Canada.” For the full article see: http://www.canadianlawyermag.com/legalfeeds/1634/a-pressing-need-for-more-female-judges-mackay.html