PC Leader Bruce Fitch calls for Justice Minister Stephen Horsman to resign

The Progressive Conservative Opposition is calling on Justice Minister Stephen Horsman to resign over comments he made in the legislature last week about judges calling him to discuss a controversial Liberal bill and his subsequent attempts to clarify those comments.

"He lied to the house," said interim Tory Leader Bruce Fitch. "You can't stand up in the legislature, lie to the people and then go out and shrug it off to say, 'Oh I misspoke.'"

But Horsman, who is also deputy premier, the minister of Public Safety and MLA for Fredericton North, contends he didn't lie and won't resign.

And he has the backing of the premier, who says Horsman has "a lot of integrity."

The dispute stems from question period last Friday, when Horman told opposition MLAs, "I have had many judges call me and tell me personally" that they were happy Bill 21 would give the government veto power over when Chief Justice David Smith can move them to a different court.

That sparked swift criticism from the opposition, who argued it was inappropriate for Horsman to be having private conversations with justices because it could create "undue influence" on how they handle cases involving the government.

The proper thing for him to do to restore some kind of faith or credibility to this government is resign.- Bruce Fitch, interim Tory leader

Horsman later contacted CBC News to say he had misspoken in the house. "No one's actually personally calling me," he had said. "I see people at functions, and they come up to me and state, 'Thanks for including judges in the whole process.'"

On Tuesday, Fitch called that "a confession."

"It's a lie and he's trying to cover up that lie and that's inexcusable, especially for a minister of justice," Fitch told reporters.

It's also "improper" for Horsman to be talking directly to justices when the chief justice should be his "point of contact" in the justice system, said Fitch.

"The proper thing for him to do to restore some kind of faith or credibility to this government is resign" from all his positions because "it's the same face, whatever hat you put on," he said.

If Horsman "doesn't see the errors in his way and won't resign, then it's up to the premier to show the leadership and ask the minister to resign."

'I see no issue at all'

In a written statement issued on Tuesday, Horsman said he "may have left the impression" during his remarks in the legislature that he had received personal phone calls from justices, but he wanted to clarify that he has "had the opportunity to engage in conversation with various members of the judiciary on a range of subjects" while carrying out his duties.

Asked whether he had "lied" in the legislature, Horsman replied, "Absolutely not."

"That, to me, is just politics," he told reporters of Fitch's allegations. "What do I say to that? I'm not going to play that political game," he said.

Horsman reiterated that no justices are calling him to discuss the amendments to the Judicature Act outlined in Bill 21 and that he will "absolutely not" resign.

Premier Brian Gallant also rejected calls for him to step in and seek Horsman's resignation.

He said it's "not very uncommon" for someone to have to clarify comments made in the legislature where "you're answering a question with one minute."

"It's not always the easiest thing to do, so at times you say it the wrong way, so he clarified his comments right away. I see no issue at all," Gallant said, following a jobs announcement in Saint John.

"The deputy premier is doing a great job, he's working very hard to move the province forward, he's somebody that has a lot of integrity … We're very proud of the work he's doing."

The Progressive Conservatives and Green Party both say Bill 21 is unconstitutional because it would violate the independence of the courts. A government could use its veto to punish a justice who made decisions it didn't like, they say.

Debate on the bill was adjourned on May 18 after Green Party Leader David Coon raised procedural objections to its third reading. But the premier has said he intends to get the bill passed when the legislature resumes on June 28.