Evidence of meeting #69 for Justice and Human Rights in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was vacancies.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Lena Metlege Diab Liberal Halifax West, NS
Minister, thank you very much. I look forward to seeing you in person.
Liberal
Bloc
Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Good afternoon, Mr. Minister. It's nice to see you.
If you don't mind, I'll pick up where my colleague Mr. Brock left off and talk about the appointment of judges, an issue that is always of great concern to me, as you know.
Last December, the Honourable Justice Paquette said there were 12 judicial positions to be filled. You, on the other hand, said that there were nine vacancies. It doesn't matter whether there are nine or twelve. You said there soon would be good news, but I haven't heard anything. Can we expect appointments anytime soon?
Earlier, we were talking about deadlines. This is a major problem, especially since the Jordan ruling came into force. Under this ruling, a trial must take place within a reasonable time. Prisoners, sometimes innocent, sometimes guilty, are being released because there was no time to hold their trial. In a society governed by the rule of law, this strikes me as completely absurd.
Minister, you are the head of the Department of Justice. Everything that happens in terms of justice, in Canada, is your responsibility. I find the situation deplorable, even dangerous. Provincial premiers even wrote to you in December or January, asking the government to do something about conditional releases. Offenders are being released without trial. All this is worrying.
I've heard that some 80 judicial positions are up for grabs in Canada. When will we have good news? Will that happen soon?
Liberal
David Lametti Liberal LaSalle—Émard—Verdun, QC
Thank you for the question.
It's an important question, and I've said as much publicly.
There's good news every week. In Quebec, there are currently three or four vacancies - I promoted someone to the Federal Court of Appeal last week. The Chief Justice of Quebec would like to see more positions at the Quebec Superior Court. I'm very grateful—
Bloc
Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
I apologize for interrupting, Mr. Minister.
How many judges have you named since last December?
Liberal
Bloc
Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
You've made five or six appointments, but there are 12 vacancies. So you need to fill more than just three or four positions.
Liberal
Liberal
Liberal
David Lametti Liberal LaSalle—Émard—Verdun, QC
The statistics lie with the federal government.
True, she would like there to be more positions, but we are waiting for a request with numbers. We are staying in touch, to frame and receive the request. Once we have received it, we will assess it, along with the requests from the other provinces, as we do every year.
Bloc
Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Mr. Minister, I'll repeat the number you gave. You said there remain three or four vacancies. Is that correct?
Liberal
David Lametti Liberal LaSalle—Émard—Verdun, QC
— I named someone this week. Let's say there are three or four left.
Bloc
Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
For argument's sake, let's say there are three vacancies.
How is it that, since December, they have not been filled?
As you know, there's been a lot of talk of the infamous Liberalist from which judicial appointments are made. Mr. Trudeau and you have admitted, in the House, that you have used it for different purposes. The fact remains that you recently stated you do not use it anymore. I imagine that has nothing to do with the three remaining vacancies.
What are the reals reasons which explain why those three positions have not been filled since December, in the last six months?
Liberal
David Lametti Liberal LaSalle—Émard—Verdun, QC
First, I've already said that I never used Liberalist. I was clear on that.
Bloc
Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
We won't go over that again, Mr. Minister. The issue has been debated at length during question period in the House. All you need to do is reread the House of Commons Debates.
Liberal
David Lametti Liberal LaSalle—Émard—Verdun, QC
You are the one who brought up Liberalist; I never used it and do not intend to do so.
Bloc
Liberal
David Lametti Liberal LaSalle—Émard—Verdun, QC
As I said, I've appointed judges everywhere in Canada at a pace never before seen in the history of Canada.
