Thank you, Madam Chair.
I want to add my thanks to the panel of witnesses today.
Minister, Ms. McTeer and Mr. Giroux, thank you for all the work you've done in getting us here today, because this is an incredibly important process. It's an apolitical process, and we all owe you a debt of gratitude for doing what you do, so thank you.
I also want to add my thanks to outgoing Justice Martin, who served the court and the country with grace and an excellent display of legal knowledge, so thank you to her.
We've come a long way in terms of this process. Just so we're clear for the public, this is not a confirmation hearing like you might see in the United States. This is an opportunity for the Canadian public to become aware of what the process looks like behind the scenes in terms of appointing people to these critically important positions.
We started back in 2005. The government of the day started the hearing process, which we're going to see again this afternoon. In 2016, we started with the process that you headed up this time, Ms. McTeer. All of this is an effort so that the people in Canada can see how the process works and come to have further respect for our court system, which is above reproach, in my opinion. I practised in Ontario for 20 years before going into politics and just to briefly address Mr. Baber's point, not once did I walk into a courtroom and wonder who appointed the judge or what he or she did politically before. To suggest that is a factor in decision-making or by judges is outrageous, frankly, and I want to get that on the record. That's why these hearings are so important and what we're going to do this afternoon is so important.
Maybe I'll just open the floor to all three of you to address that issue, because we've come a long way in this transparency process. There's a big upside to it from the public but, as we've just witnessed, there can be a downside too, because it opens judges to commentary and criticism that is political, unfair and outrageous, in my opinion. Judges are not in a position like we are as politicians to stand in front of a microphone or put out a statement defending themselves. We have the greatest justice system in the world, in my opinion. I would just like you to comment on the process on its pros and perhaps cons in light of what we just heard.