Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'd like to thank the witnesses for coming here today to give us their interpretation of the issue.
Obviously, Supreme Court judges aren't appointed every day. There is a rigorous procedure that's meant to be inclusive. Consultations take place with the Quebec Bar, the Quebec attorney general, the Quebec justice system and all the courts. Despite all that, the question remains today.
I'd like to come back to Tuesday's evidence. My colleague, Mr. Seeback, asked one of the witnesses, Professor Mathen, a question. Based on her interpretation, someone who had been a member of the Quebec Bar for 30 years and had then been a Federal Court judge for a very short period of time would by that very fact be automatically disqualified and could not be appointed to the Supreme Court.
Is that not somewhat of an absurd interpretation, disqualifying someone of that calibre with that much experience?