ST. JOHN’S – With the official swearing-in of Justice Malcolm Rowe to the Supreme Court of Canada Monday afternoon, polling shows that more than 70% of Newfoundlanders are happy with the Prime Minister’s decision to appoint one of their relatives to the bench.
Overall, Newfoundlanders felt that Justice Rowe was “right qualified” and that “it was high time someone in this family made something of themselves.” Many, like Garrett Penney of Placentia, remembered Rowe fondly from his early days. “Good boy. Smart. His nan’s my sister’s second husband. Can’t fish worth a damn, though.”
In his announcement of the appointment on October 17th, Trudeau stressed that Rowe had broad support within the province. “During this process,” he stated “I spoke with thousands of islanders, and they were unanimous that, out of all their relations, Justice Rowe was the most immediately experienced and capable.”
Some Newfoundlanders, however, are not so enthused.
“Yeah, well, he’s gonna have some big head on him now,” said Peter Burt, of Stephenville, Rowe’s uncle’s third cousin. “I can see it already, him at the big Tibb’s Eve party, talking about Ottawa like he’s a big fancy mainlander. Plus, he’s no smarter than my brother, Gene – and a worse fisherman.”
Despite the generally warm sentiments towards Rowe, poll respondents were unanimous in insisting that he had “hair only a mudder could love.”
