OTTAWA — The first-ever parliamentary panel to review Supreme Court appointments declared Friday it was pleased with the two justices chosen by Prime Minister Paul Martin.

The panel had no veto power over the appointments of Rosalie Abella and Louise Charron to sit on the Supreme Court, leading Conservative MPs who participated to complain it was "a rubber-stamp process."

The approval came as no surprise: None of the panel members had been critical of the judges and, even if they had, the prime minister retains final say in their appointment.

The ad hoc panel -- three Liberals, two Tories, one member each from the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois and two outside legal experts -- recommended that Martin proceed with the appointment of the two Ontario judges.

"(They) are eminently qualified for appointment to the Supreme Court of Canada," the panel said in a news release.

But the Conservatives have complained vigorously about the new review mechanism, which was a pilot project designed to begin making the selection of judges more transparent.

That party has for years demanded public scrutiny of incoming judges and asked that parliamentarians have a chance to interview Supreme Court nominees.

The Tories were far from thrilled with the mechanism Martin set up; it merely allowed MPs to question Justice Minister Irwin Cotler about Abella and Charron's qualifications.

This week's hearings degenerated into partisan arguments and produced much wrangling about procedure and almost no questions about the nominees.

Conservatives said the prime minister has failed to shed light on the secretive process of selecting new justices to the high court.

Conservative panel members Peter MacKay and Vic Toews issued their own news release Friday, complaining about the procedure.

But they had little to say about the candidates, except that their criticism should not be seen as a reflection on Abella and Charron.

"Transparency appears to have been abandoned for what in fact is a rubber-stamp process, an afterthought rather than a genuine consultation," the party said in a news release.

"We are not in a position to offer any considered advice ... on the appropriateness of the appointment of the nominees to the Supreme Court of Canada."