To no one’s surprise, the Canadian Judicial Council inquisition of Justice Lori Douglas will continue. Chairperson Catherine Fraser ruled today that there is no bias in the inquiry’s proceedings, despite the fact that CJC counsel George Macintosh, supposedly a mere advisor, savagely cross-examined witnesses for Lori Douglas on the panel’s behalf while demanding that independent counsel “ease up” on the two-bit grifter Alex Chapman, who got this whole farce going in the first place.

Nope, no bias there.

There’s a piece of wisdom in municipal affairs that has some bearing on where this travesty is headed. When a city council votes for a costly “feasibility study” to put a four-lane highway through your backyard, it’s a virtual given that the plan is already in place and the decision has already been made. In the same way, this expensive Star Chamber proceeding can have but one conclusion: Douglas will inevitably be awarded her scarlet letter sometime later this year.

Some good commentary here. Some muddled commentary here. Some downright disgraceful and bone-stupid commentary here.

UPDATE: The truth? Can the CJC panel handle the truth?

A Manitoba judge under investigation for sexually-explicit photos was upfront about the pictures when she was screened for a position on the bench, another judge testified Friday.

“There was knowledge of the photographs and we were to followup,” Justice Martin Freedman told the Canadian Judicial Council inquiry into the conduct of Lori Douglas. Freedman chaired the committee that screened Douglas and other potential new judges.ed Alexander Chapman and asked him to have sex with Douglas.

…”By definition, an inquiry … is a search for the truth. We are bound to pursue it,” said Catherine Fraser, the chairwoman of the inquiry who is also the chief justice of Alberta.