Mr. Speaker, I would first reassure the member that the Minister of Justice shares his concerns on the delays in the legal proceedings. However, as the hon. member mentioned, the matter is a provincial responsibility.
That said, the Province of New Brunswick will determine the number of judges appointed to superior and provincial courts. The Minister of Justice simply appoints judges in the event of vacancies in the province. Currently, all positions on the court of Queen's bench in New Brunswick are filled.
The issue here is one of ensuring the effective allocation of existing judicial resources. The level of judicial service in any part of the province is the shared responsibility of the provincial attorney general and of the chief justice of the court of Queen's bench.
It is not a political problem as the member would like us to believe. The minister has heard from the attorney general of New Brunswick and is in discussions with the New Brunswick minister on this issue. There are ongoing discussions.
It is also important to clarify that the minister supports all initiatives that will take place to the access to justice and to reduce delays in legal proceedings.
Today in fact, the minister also announced a federal initiative to promote the unification of family courts. At the request of a number of provinces, new judges may be appointed to simplify access to the justice system on family matters.
These initiatives testify to the importance the government places on the right of all Canadians to have access to the justice system. The minister shares the hon. member's concerns on the situation faced by the residents of Campbellton, and I can assure him that the matter will be raised with her New Brunswick counterpart.