Madam Speaker, the question that has been raised is important.
We are not going to preserve and maintain the confidence of the public in the system of justice and the judiciary unless we have a bench that is representative of Canada not only with respect to gender but also with respect to the diversity of Canada's society.
As the minister in this government responsible primarily for bringing forward recommendations to cabinet for judicial appointment, I shall make it my business to ensure that we bear in mind the need for gender balance as well as the reflection of diversity on the bench in Canada.
It is true to say that there are not enough women judges in the federal courts today and that perhaps reflects the appointment practices in the past. So far as this government is concerned we are going to bear in mind the need for gender equality as well as representativeness generally in appointing judges to the federal bench.