The Applicant Association sought judicial review of the Province’s decision to substitute its own compensation package for provincial judges for that recommended by the 2003 Judicial Compensation Commission. The court held that while the Province’s action met the “rationality” test, the Province had not demonstrated that exceptional circumstances existed such that it could reject the Commission’s recommendations. The court therefore allowed the judicial review to the extent of providing the Province with 90 days to reconsider the Commission’s recommendations and to justify its rejection on the ground of exceptional circumstances.
Administrative law – Remuneration of judges – Judicial Remuneration Commission – Recommendations – Government rejection – Simple rationality standard – Judicial review – Decisions reviewed – Ministerial orders Alberta Provincial Judges’ Assn v. Alberta, [2004] A.J. No. 936, Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench, August 20, 2004, MacCullam J. The Alberta Provincial Judges Association sought judicial review ...