For the last couple of weeks we have seen the Conservatives targeting the Supreme Court and the Chief Justice and you have to yourself why? What is the objective? What do they hope to achieve?
One would think that in the lead up to a possible election that this would be part of a larger strategy to gain votes or at the very least offer a position that appealed to a large number of voters and gained additional support for the government. These attacks do none of that.
Any time you take the step of going to court you know that you are going to get a win or lose verdict. Politically you should prepare for both types of decisions in advance of the decision coming down. The Senate referral to the Court was risky and clearly the government knew in advance that the Nadon appointment might present problems or they would not have gone outside of the Justice Department to get "expert" opinion prior to announcing his appointment.
Attacks on the Chief justice get you nowhere. Who do the Conservatives think the population will believe- a politician or a highly respected judge? Except for hard core followers most people will support the Court.
Attacks on the Chief Justice i.e. the Supreme Court will play well to some followers. Unease with so called activist judges was common in pre-merger days mainly in the ranks of the Reform Party and later the Canadian Alliance. Is this a throwback to those days?
So what does this strategy do other than shore up support from followers that you already have?
Does it make Justin Trudeau look bad? Hardly, they look like a bunch of angry and sore losers while he is given the opportunity to appear logical and well mannered. This gives a win to the Liberals.
Does this strategy box Tom Mulcair in? Hardly, he gets to attack the government daily with reasoned questions that the government has to either duck completely or push back with more negatives. That is a win for the NDP.
Besides venting and looking like a sore loser this strategy doesn't do much other than shore up support from people who already vote for you, so what is the point?