Evidence of meeting #38 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was need.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Jeffrey Hutchings  President, Canadian Society for Ecology and Evolution; Professor of Biology, Dalhousie University; As an Individual
Martin Willison  Adjunct Professor, School for Resource and Environmental Studies and Marine Affairs Program, Dalhousie University, As an Individual
Todd Dupuis  Executive Director, Regional Programs, Atlantic Salmon Federation
Frederick Whoriskey  Vice-Chair, Education, Dalhousie University, Huntsman Marine Science Centre
David Coon  Executive Director, Conservation Council of New Brunswick Inc.
Steve Burgess  Acting Director General, Ecosystem Programs Policy, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Ward Samson  Member, Newfoundland and Labrador Wildlife Federation
Soren Bondrup-Nielsen  Treasurer, Head, Department of Biology, Acadia University, Science and Management of Protected Areas Association
Margo Sheppard  Chair, Canadian Land Trust Alliance
Betty Ann Lavallée  National Chief, Congress of Aboriginal Peoples
Susanna Fuller  Coordinator, Marine Conservation, Ecology Action Centre
Andrew Hammermeister  Assistant Professor, Nova Scotia Agricultural College; Director, Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada
Dwight Dorey  National Vice-Chief, Congress of Aboriginal Peoples

11:30 a.m.

Conservative

Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON

Okay.

11:30 a.m.

Executive Director, Conservation Council of New Brunswick Inc.

David Coon

I can clarify, if that's acceptable, Mr. Chair.

11:30 a.m.

Conservative

Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON

We have one document.

11:30 a.m.

Executive Director, Conservation Council of New Brunswick Inc.

David Coon

In this document, “Canadian Biodiversity: Ecosystems Status and Trends 2010”, the committee was holding a hearing on invasive species. I was going to appear at the hearing, but it got cancelled. Anyway, I sent this in English and French to the clerk. It would probably have been in a box for that set of hearings, so maybe what I sent could be mined out and distributed.

I'm sorry to create extra work, but I don't have any more of these, and I don't think Environment Canada has any either.

11:30 a.m.

Conservative

Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON

Certainly the title suggests that it would be relevant to what we're doing here today. It attracted my interest, and I appreciate your bringing it to our attention. I hope the clerk can work with you. At the very least, I'd like to scan it over and see what I can pick up from it.

Mr. Burgess, could you tell me again what your position is?

11:30 a.m.

Acting Director General, Ecosystem Programs Policy, Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Steve Burgess

I'm acting director general of ecosystems program policy at DFO in Ottawa.

11:35 a.m.

Conservative

Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON

Ecosystems program policy. May I inquire--if you don't mind my being a little detailed, but I would like to understand the department a bit more--how many personnel do you have under your direction in ecosystems program policy?

11:35 a.m.

Acting Director General, Ecosystem Programs Policy, Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Steve Burgess

I can't give you a precise number, but it would be in the order of 35 people.

11:35 a.m.

Conservative

Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON

When did you join that particular branch?

11:35 a.m.

Acting Director General, Ecosystem Programs Policy, Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Steve Burgess

It was November 2011.

11:35 a.m.

Conservative

Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON

So not very long. I was hoping you might be able to give us some history of the branch.

Is 35 people high, low, or average over the last five or ten years? Do you have any notion of that?

11:35 a.m.

Acting Director General, Ecosystem Programs Policy, Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Steve Burgess

The department has undergone a number of reorganizations in the last two or three years, so the configuration of the group has changed. So it might be a bit misleading to give specific numbers, but I can tell you that the programs under my responsibility have to do with species at risk, oceans management, and fish habitat management. The number of individuals in those groups is roughly the same as it would have been say three years ago.

11:35 a.m.

Conservative

Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON

Do you have any responsibility for delivery of programs regarding conservation and protection of Atlantic salmon?

11:35 a.m.

Acting Director General, Ecosystem Programs Policy, Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Steve Burgess

No, I don't.

11:35 a.m.

Conservative

Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON

Okay.

Earlier we heard that DFO devotes about $12 million per annum to that particular issue. Do you know anything at all about that?

11:35 a.m.

Acting Director General, Ecosystem Programs Policy, Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Steve Burgess

No, I'm sorry, that's outside my area.

11:35 a.m.

Conservative

Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON

Okay.

Your responsibility then is Canada-wide, not simply one coast or the other or the other.

11:35 a.m.

Acting Director General, Ecosystem Programs Policy, Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Steve Burgess

My responsibility is to develop regulatory and policy and operational tools to facilitate delivery of the programs on the ground.

11:35 a.m.

Conservative

Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON

Do you, in the course of that, conduct any study or survey as to the number of people in DFO who might be called technical support people?

11:35 a.m.

Acting Director General, Ecosystem Programs Policy, Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Steve Burgess

We haven't, to my knowledge, done a specific study of that nature. Certainly the department has information regarding the number of biologists, scientists, and so forth who are distributed across the country.

11:35 a.m.

Conservative

Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON

You mentioned reorganization. Can you tell me, your particular department, ecosystems program and policy, how long has that been in existence?

11:35 a.m.

Acting Director General, Ecosystem Programs Policy, Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Steve Burgess

It's been in existence for about two years.

11:35 a.m.

Conservative

Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON

Two years. What was the genesis of it, or the purpose of introducing that particular department two years ago?

11:35 a.m.

Acting Director General, Ecosystem Programs Policy, Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Steve Burgess

I'm speaking based on information that I have been told; I wasn't there for it. Essentially the department was looking to consolidate its operational and policy functions to create some synergies, if you will. Previously, for example, there were small policy functions distributed in various locations in the operational sections of the department. I think it was felt that by consolidating that operational and policy function into one group it would allow some synergies and some efficiencies.

11:35 a.m.

Conservative

Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON

Can you tell me your assessment of how that's worked out? What accomplishments do you see as having occurred in the last two years?