Hon. Wanda Thomas Bernard: Thank you, Minister LeBlanc, for being here today. My question is going to follow up on questions that Senator Cormier and Senator Cordy voiced about vacancies in this chamber, specifically from Atlantic Canada. I thank you for your very promising response; however, I want to ask something more specific.

Although I have witnessed and welcomed a number of senators from more diverse communities during the last six years since I’ve been here, I see a glaring gap in the Senate when it comes to two historically under-represented groups: First, there are no representatives in the Senate from the Acadian-Nova Scotian community. This is a gap. Secondly, for the first time in Canadian history, we actually have six African-Canadian senators here in this chamber, but there are no African-Canadian men.

Mr. Minister, what is the selection committee doing to ensure the applications of historically under-represented groups are considered, especially from the Atlantic provinces?