A Manitoba lawyers group is accusing Premier Wab Kinew of undermining public confidence in the justice system and not respecting the independence of the judiciary.
Kinew was speaking in the legislature Tuesday about the case of a truck driver, accused of causing a fatal collision last year near Altona, Man., who was recently released on bail.
Kinew said judges should take into account how their decisions will be received by the public.
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He also said he would remind judges that they should make decisions based on the world as it is, not the world as they would like it to be.
The Manitoba Bar Association says the remarks run counter to the constitutional principles that separate the judicial and legislative branches of government.
Justice Minister Matt Wiebe says the premier was speaking in general terms about public perceptions about bail and respects the independence of the judiciary.
Last year, Kinew apologized to defence lawyers for comments he made when his NDP caucus expelled backbencher Mark Wasyliw.
Wasyliw, who is a criminal defence lawyer, was removed from the governing caucus partly because one of his colleagues represented disgraced fashion mogul Peter Nygard on sex charges.
At the time, Kinew said someone cannot be affiliated with both Nygard and the NDP.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
