Judicial vacancies on Canada’s top courts have plagued the justice system long before this week’s Federal Court ruling to reduce the number of unfilled jobs.It was a recurring problem for Stephen Harper. In 2007, there were more than 40 jobs waiting to be filled. It sparked a flurry of critical commentary. This space was succinct: “A government that cannot manage to hire judges is not doing its job.”It is as true today as it was then. The prime minister and federal cabinet are responsible for ensuring the most important courts across the country are fully staffed. Failure to do so has real consequences: An unacceptably high number of vacancies leads to delays and puts major cases, including sexual assault and murder, in peril.For Mr. Harper, the judicial vacancies problem never really d...