U.S. can keep its confirmation system

Re: Bring The Hot Seat To Canada, Bruce Garvey, Sept. 16. Mr. Garvey’s idea of embracing the politicized American process of “confirming” Supreme Court justices would do a disservice to Canada. The U.S. confirmation process is merely a rhetorical exercise, as its outcome is virtually predetermined by the number of Senators who hold the majority.

The Canadian process is hardly perfect of course, but incremental reforms have proven effective by one simple measure: outcomes. The true test is to look at the quality of the Canadian appointments — outstanding jurists respected not just within our own country, but on an international level.

To import the sensational, media-driven process used by our American cousins would be counter-productive. Just as judges ought not to be elected in purely political process, they ought not to be raked through a bitter, political process whose outcome will not, at best, be any better than the current system. Tony Kavanagh, Winnipeg.