Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, there are a couple of points that I could make on that. One is, on the political level, when the Western Arctic MP, Ethel Blondin, made her position known across the country on the issue of aboriginal representation in the court system, I, as the Minister, wrote to her to lend moral support. We are coming from the same side on that one. On the issue on the appointment of judges, the appointment of persons to the Judicial Council and even to the Judicial Appointments Advisory Committee, the real big issue there is in the independence of the judiciary on ensuring that there is no or very little political interference in the justice system. It has been an issue raised many times by different judges and by the Supreme Court. I would think that we can make our point known to the Judicial Appointments Advisory Committee on our view in terms of directly appointing someone, for me, as a Minister, that is not where we are going here. What we are suggesting is that a Judicial Appointments Advisory Committee be struck and that they be the ones that look around for candidates to become Territorial Court Judges. My suggestion would be that, in some form, that we make it non-politically or some fashion that our position is that they should consider gender and ethnic balancing.
Goo Arlooktoo on Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
In the Legislative Assembly on May 27th, 1998. See this statement in context.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
May 26th, 1998
Page 1455
Goo Arlooktoo Baffin South
See context to find out what was said next.