Fisheries Committee on May 2nd, 2024

[Lisa Marie Barron, NDP, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I want to put forward an amendment. It has been sent to the clerk, and I'm going to ask the clerk if she can distribute it, but I also know my team member has the amendment in paper copy, which he will be circulating.

It begins with, “That, regarding Minister Diane Lebouthillier's decision to close the legal elver harvest of 2024, the committee finds that:”.

The amendments that are made here are specifically that paragraph (b) will read that: “Since the closure of the elver fishery, criminal activity and violence has not decreased as evidenced by witnesses” and so on.

In paragraph (c), it's to add “according to the witnesses” prior to the remainder of the point.

In the final paragraph—and this will make more sense once people have the version in front of them—I'm amending it to add, after "Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and Canadian Coast Guard” “to do the work required across jurisdictions to make sure that public safety is maintained, first nations' moderate livelihood rights are protected, and a plan is developed for the the long-term sustainability of the elver fishery.”

I notice there are a couple of small grammatical pieces in there. I apologize. I'm happy for those to be corrected. I notice "the" is in there twice. Otherwise, those are the amendments that I'd like to put forward.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Everybody has a copy of the amendment as presented by Ms. Barron.

[Serge Cormier, Liberal, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

There are two things, Mr. Chair.

First, I'm not sure if we want to keep the witnesses online. I'm not sure what time we were going to go until, and we're going to ask for a little recess just to go through the—

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Is everyone in favour of letting the witnesses go?

[Some hon. members]

No.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Mr. Bachrach, go ahead.

[Taylor Bachrach, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

On the point of whether or not to excuse the witnesses, I'm trying to get a sense of whether or not this motion in front of us will involve a half-hour of debate. I think some people around the table might have a pretty good sense of that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

We probably won't know that until we see how many people want to speak to it and whether they're long-winded.

Is there any discussion?

We'll suspend for a moment.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

We're back.

Does anybody want to speak to the amendment?

Madame Desbiens.

[Caroline Desbiens, Bloc, Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d’Orléans—Charlevoix, QC]

I'd like to move a subamendment to Ms. Barron's amendment to add a paragraph (e). It reads:

(e) that, as part of a reopening, a crisis unit be set up beforehand made up of the various intervention units concerned, border agency, Coast Guard, public security agency, scientific representation and legal fishermen, to act not only in observation and surveillance but also to act in protection and intervention in the event of force majeure to promote a resumption of fishing that is adequate, egalitarian and ensuring increased safety.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Has everybody seen a copy of the amendment?

Okay. We'll suspend for a moment while we get some copies done.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Madame Desbiens, are you making a subamendment or an amendment? The clerk needs to know.

[Caroline Desbiens, Bloc, Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d’Orléans—Charlevoix, QC]

I don't know what I said. I can skip my turn and move it as an amendment afterwards.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Are you amending the amendment? If so, it would be a subamendment.

[Caroline Desbiens, Bloc, Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d’Orléans—Charlevoix, QC]

Look, I'll move it as a subamendment. Let's face it, it's 5:10 p.m.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Okay. It's a subamendment.

[Caroline Desbiens, Bloc, Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d’Orléans—Charlevoix, QC]

I'd like to amend the amendment.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

We need to vote on the amendment first, and then the subamendment.

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

I think she's trying to amend the main motion, not the amendment. I know she can't because we're dealing with the amendment.

Anyway, I'll leave it to the clerk.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Okay, we'll vote on the amendment first and then the subamendment.

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Shouldn't it be the subamendment and then the amendment?

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

No, the original amendment hasn't been passed yet. That has to be passed in order for a subamendment to take place.

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Okay. We have to vote on Lisa Marie's amendment first and then Caroline's. It seems backwards.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

What we're voting on is the amendment, which, if you look at the motion as it was distributed, is what's in red.

[An hon. member]

This is Lisa Marie's amendment.