I can't speak for the previous government, but certainly I can speak for the appointments that have been made under this government. Indeed, in the years that I did serve as a parliamentary secretary, as a member of this committee, and as a vice-chairman of this committee, I knew that the criterion was always the highest quality of candidates who were judicially competent, first-class legal mind people who are prepared to serve their country through sitting on the judiciary. Nothing has changed in that regard.
I was a member of this committee when Ray Hnatyshyn, who at the time was justice minister of this country, proposed it. It wasn't a question of trying to stack it in favour of the federal government, whatever that means. It was then, as it is today, an opportunity to get individuals who have a commitment to our judicial system and to ask them for their input and their advice. Indeed, that wasn't the last word on the subject. That was in 1988.
I believe there were five members then. I was part of the government that changed that again, in 1991, in order to have a couple more individuals on that committee. I believe the subsequent Liberal governments made at least two changes as well, in 1994 and in 1999. So over the last eighteen and a half years, since this concept was introduced, there have been changes. There have been modifications.
With respect to the latest modification that is adding a member of the police community, I think this is a positive change. Over the years, I've had the privilege of meeting with the police associations and chiefs of police. When I was in private practice, I met police officers in that forum. I can tell you that they are as absolutely committed as any of us to making sure our judicial system works. Having them—and that's the major change, Mr. Chairman, in that we have added another individual from the police community—I believe will work out very well. Again, I have no doubt about their commitment to our judicial system, and I think it will work well.