Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There is a vacancy on the Supreme Court at the present time but it has been agreed by the judiciary, the federal and territorial governments that the next appointment would be in Nunavut on the understanding that the next Supreme Court judge appointed in Nunavut would become a judge of the Nunavut Supreme Court, upon division. We are hopeful at least one Supreme Court justice will be appointed within the next four to six months, to take up residence in Nunavut.
In the west judges, of course, because of judicial independence, cannot be laid off and cannot be moved. We will retain three Supreme Court judges in the west, who will be based here in Yellowknife. I do not anticipate there will be any vacancies on the Supreme Court in the west for some time to come. One other thing concerning the appointment process, that is worth noting, is that all individuals interested in a Supreme Court appointment, do submit their names to a judicial appointments advisory committee. That advisory committee recommends certain names to the Minister of Justice, as qualified or in some cases, very few, but in some cases, unqualified. That also is a step in the process.