SOC 3730 Chapter Notes - Chapter Intro and 1: Asian Canadians, Meddle, Responsible Government

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Sociology
• Course: SOC 3730
• Professor: Michelle Dumas

Document Summary

Our judges are appointed rather then elected and they are drawn from an elite group in society. The judges are not accountable for their decisions and yet from time to time they seem to meddle with the policies of the government. Our political system can function only with courts staffed judges who are not accountable for the decisions- not accountable so that they can be independent and impartial. Only judges who are able to be independent and impartial can settle disputes justly about the application and interpretation of laws enacted by elected legislatures, even in cases when interpretation overlaps with policy making. Courts in a democracy need to provide fair and effective dispute resolution service that is open as practically possible to public participation and the inclusion of all relevant groups. Courts also need to be responsive to legitimate public needs and demands. Canadian courts provide a publicly funded and sponsored adjudication service for settling legal disputes.