OTTAWA — One-third of the Conservative government's appointees to its critically backlogged social security tribunal have close ties to the party.
That's despite Employment Minister Jason Kenney's insistence that he has avoided patronage appointments.
An analysis obtained by The Canadian Press has found that 32 of 96 tribunal members — including four recent appointees — have either donated to the party, run as Conservative candidates or worked for a Tory candidate.
Kenney spokeswoman Alexandra Fortier defended the tribunal's hiring record, saying the majority of tribunal members do not have ties to the party.
She added the government has put in place a rigorous hiring process that rewards candidates based on merit, not political leanings.
NDP immigration critic Jinny Sims scoffed at that defence, calling the social security tribunal a trough for partisan appointees.
The tribunal, which began operating in April 2013, consists of 74 full-time members and 22 part-timers who hear appeals from Canadians denied employment insurance, old-age security or Canada Pension Plan disability benefits.
It replaced about 1,000 part-time referees on four separate social security panels under the old system.
