My question is to the Premier. Last week, the Globe reported that his Attorney General refused to meet the Federation of Ontario Law Associations, an organization that represents 46 district and county law associations—literally thousand of lawyers across Ontario. They have expressed outrage, Speaker, and grave concern that this government is admittedly out to politicize judicial appointments by hand-picking Conservative and like-minded judges. FOLA wonders why the Attorney General is so afraid to meet with one of the ministry’s most important stakeholders, the actual legal community that’s keeping our justice system running.

The Ontario association of family lawyers has warned that the Premier’s political interference meddling could result in judges being appointed without any experience in the areas of law that they adjudicate. “It would be like going to an artist for an oil change,” wrote family law association co-founder Mary Reilly.

Speaker, will the Premier explain to Ontarians why, if they are facing a criminal case, a gun violence case, a divorce case, a custody case, a Conservative Party supporter is more qualified to decide who presides over the trial than someone who actually is qualified and has the merit to do so?

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the question because it gives me an opportunity to talk about the thousands of lawyers and the associations that I talk to on a regular basis. I can’t say that I can be any more accessible, whether it be through social media or whether it be with meeting and phone-calling on a continuous basis.

Now, this issue in particular, I think we’ve had lots of debate about that, both within the House and in public. Let’s be clear. We do want to make sure that people are held to account. We do want to make sure that perpetrators of crime are kept in jail. We do want to put our best foot forward when it comes to making appointments, but there is a process. It’s a committee that makes recommendations, and I’ll make no apologies for that. We are making excellent appointments across the board.