Thank you, Chair.
Thank you, Minister, for appearing in front of our committee. Congratulations on the Canada-United Kingdom trade agreement. We look forward to reviewing that text in greater detail.
I would like to ask you about Canada-China relations, specifically with respect to Hong Kong.
As you know, Minister, Commonwealth judges sit on Hong Kong's top court, including a Canadian judge. It has been reported today that foreign secretary Dominic Raab said yesterday that the U.K. is considering pulling its judges out of Hong Kong's highest court in response to China's violation of international law in Hong Kong, including the expulsion of duly elected legislators from the legislative council, the silencing of dissent and many other violations of law.
Dominic Raab said he has begun consultations with Lord Reed, President of the United Kingdom Supreme Court, about whether or not it is appropriate for British judges to sit as non-permanent members of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal.
As you know, in 2018, two years ago, the Honourable Beverley McLachlin was appointed to the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal, the first Canadian jurist to be nominated to the post. Are you undertaking consultations with respect to the Honourable Beverley McLachlin?