More 'like-minded people': Conservative party loyalists appointed to justices of the peace advisory committee

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article originally appeared on The Trillium, a Village Media website devoted to covering provincial politics at Queen’s Park.

Ford has not been shy about his aim: He’s appointing “like-minded” people to the committees that vet judge and JP candidates to get those who are tough on crime on the bench.However, nearly all bail hearings in Ontario are presided over by JPs, not provincial court judges. Justices of the Peace, who currently earn $172,000 annually, are also authorized to issue search warrants and preside over provincial offences trials.

Ras, who was appointed chair in 2019, is a senior vice president and Ontario Practice Lead at Counsel Public Affairs. Charitsis, a Toronto lawyer, has donated to the Progressive Conservative party on several occasions. On his firm website, he describes himself as a “key strategic and legal adviser” to then-party leader Patrick Brown in 2018. The site says Charitsis set up a committee called “Project Lazarus” to defend Brown against sexual misconduct allegations.

Ras defended his work and that of the committee and dismissed any suggestion that it is partisan. “Your premise is false,” said Ras. Scott Munnoch, a partner at Temple Scott Associates, was a former adviser to Mike Harris and tour director for the late Brian Mulroney when he was prime minister. Keith Strachan, a business owner in Barrie, is a former president of the federal Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte Conservative riding association — the riding that Downey represents provincially. Holly Haire, an event coordinator in Wasaga Beach, previously worked as the executive assistant for Conservative MP Kellie Leitch.

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