Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister, for appearing today at our committee. It's good to see you again, even if it is virtually.
Minister, an issue that I've been raising and have raised with you for some time has been that, obviously, the impact of COVID-19 has altered significantly the financial estimates for the government. One issue that we've been raising is the concern with the growing backlog in the courts, both related to the COVID shutdown but also to vacancies within the judiciary.
Through you, Chair, can the minister inform the committee how the government is going to respond to this and what conversations the minister has had with the provinces over the past number of months? I want to reference specifically Ches Crosbie, the leader of the opposition in Newfoundland and Labrador, who has raised concerns in his province. There are four vacancies on the bench and that is delaying justice in that province. I'd like to get the minister's comments on that, the delay in the justice system.
Thank you.