The association that represents lawyers in Canada is calling on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to acknowledge that the chief justice of the Supreme Court has done nothing wrong.

The Canadian Bar Association says it's deeply concerned about the public spat between Harper and Beverley McLachlin.

Late Thursday, Harper's office suggested McLachlin acted improperly last July when she advised his office that Marc Nadon, a Federal Court of Appeal judge, might not fit the legal criteria set for Quebec appointees to the Supreme Court.

McLachlin issued a statement saying all she wanted to ensure was that the government was aware of the eligibility issue, but didn't express any opinion on the merits of the eligibility issue.

Bar association president Fred Headon says he hopes this is a misunderstanding but is expressing concern that Harper's comments on the disagreement, made on Friday, could erode public confidence in the Supreme Court.

"Disagreement between PM & Chief Justice surprising & disturbing; hopefully a misunderstanding," Headon wrote on Twitter.

He says Harper should clarify publicly that McLachlin acted appropriately.

Harper ended up nominating Nadon and McLachlin swore him in last fall.

But constitutional lawyer Rocco Galati challenged the appointment and the Supreme Court ruled in March that Nadon did not meet the legislated eligibility requirements.

Clarifications

  • This headline on this story has been updated from an earlier version to avoid the impression that Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin warned the government specifically about Marc Nadon. In fact, she raised concerns about appointing a Federal Court judge to represent Quebec before Marc Nadon, a federal judge, was appointed. A quote in the story from Prime Minister Stephen Harper has also been expanded to clarify he was referring to lack of public support for the "status quo" when it comes to the Senate, not to the court's decision.

    May 01, 2014 3:49 PM ET

With files from CBC News