The Conseil de la magistrature du Québec was established in 1978, following legislation enacted by the National Assembly.
Its mandate includes such responsibilities as ensuring compliance with the judicial code of ethics and making sure that the judges have the appropriate ways and means of maintaining and further developing their knowledge.
Some 400 judges come under this council's jurisdiction—the judges of the Court of Québec, those of the Human Rights Tribunal, the Professions Tribunal and the municipal courts as well as the presiding justices of the peace.
Powers over Justice need to be transferred from the British to the Senedd to maintain the Welsh public's confidence and trust in judicial institutions in Wales.
Bernard Hogan-Howe, Chief Constable of Merseyside, said last night that the mandatory five-year minimum sentence for possession of a firearm was being ignored by some members of the judiciary.
Mr Hogan-Howe, whose force is investigating the murder last year of 11-year-old Rhys Jones, said “very heavy sentences” were essential to deter criminals and teenage gang members from carrying weapons. It was, he said, “simply wrong” for judges to overlook the legal requirement to hand down a five-year sentence.