Justice Minister Peter MacKay offers few new details on Supreme Court spat

HALIFAX – Justice Minister Peter MacKay is refusing to explain details of a conversation he had with the chief justice of the Supreme Court where the Prime Minister’s Office says an approach was made to speak to Stephen Harper about a judicial appointment.

But MacKay says he believes after speaking to Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin the call with Harper would have been inappropriate.

Ultimately, he says it was up to Harper whether the call would be taken.

The PMO exposed an unprecedented public spat with the chief justice on Thursday, issuing a statement suggesting Harper refused to accept the phone call.

The extraordinary statement came on the heels of a media report that said Conservative government members have become incensed with the top court after a series of stinging constitutional rebukes.

Among those government setbacks was a court ruling that Justice Marc Nadon, Harper’s most recent pick for the top bench, was not qualified under the Supreme Court Act.

The nine-member court has been short one justice for almost a year as a result of the bungled appointment.