Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have this opportunity to speak in support of Bill C-57.
This legislation comes down to the creation of the Nunavut court of justice, a single level of court to handle all trials in this new territory. Instead of two levels of court as we have in the rest of the country, Nunavut will have this single court. This is required because of the small population of approximately 26,000 spread over such a vast territory with only about 25 settlements. This only makes sense.
Three superior court judges are to be appointed. These individuals will be tasked with all matters. While it is unfortunate to have these highly expensive and qualified judges being assigned the responsibility over all types of cases regardless of importance, there appears to be little alternative. It does not make sense to transport a federal level judge and a territorial level judge to each community when one judge could come in a deal with all cases available for adjudication. We all understand that most of these communities are isolated and remote. Judges are not available except from centralized and more populated areas.
The bill amends a number of other pieces of Canadian law but these are mere consequential changes. A number of our acts use procedures or terminology which must be altered to recognize the new territory of Nunavut, the Nunavut court of justice and the single level of court.
My Reform colleagues and I have expressed our very serious concerns over the methods used to select our superior court judges. We have expressed our opposition to the recent pay increases granted to judges in Bill C-37 at a time when Canadian families are under intense financial pressures. We also expressed concerns surrounding the creation of this new territory and its untold costs. However, those issues are not relevant to this debate.
Nunavut is a reality. As I have said, this legislation is highly practical for that reality. All citizens of Canada are entitled to an efficient court system.
If the Nunavut court of justice model proves successful, and I am sure we all hope that it does, perhaps we will see it replicated in other remote, sparsely populated parts of this vast country we call Canada. That would be up to the provincial or territorial governments concerned.
There has been some opposition expressed to this legislation as it is currently worded, most notably by the Dene of northern Manitoba whose traditional territories extend into Nunavut. It is my hope that fair and just minded peopled, both north and south of 60, will work together toward a solution agreeable to all.
The Reform Party will be supporting the legislation. It makes the most practical sense both for Canadians and for the people of this new territory to be known as Nunavut.
I extend to the people of our newest territory our best wishes and look at the legislation as a step toward further self-determination. We wish them all the best toward seeing their dream realized.