Evidence of meeting #17 for Fisheries and Oceans in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was project.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:10 p.m.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
Thank you very much, Mr. Holder. It sounds like you have a reasonably successful operation.
5:10 p.m.
Voices
Oh, oh!
5:10 p.m.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
I think so. It's quite a thing for politicians to hear that somebody is making money--and a good bit of it--but it's good.
5:10 p.m.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
Are there proper regulations in place? Do we need more regulations in place or is it regulated properly? Are you concerned about disease?
Also, did I understand you correctly? Did you say that from the water that you take out of the ground you take the sediment out and you use that for fertilizer and then the water goes back into the ground again? Is that correct?
5:10 p.m.
President, JLH Consulting Inc.
Yes, it can go through what we call a constructed wetland, so it's a marsh. It goes back into a marsh, basically, and then it percolates back into the ground table.
5:10 p.m.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
Also, do you see eco-certification becoming an issue here in order to make your product worth even more money? It's certainly something that's here. You are dealing with disease-free fish. Do you see eco-certification coming into play in order to make self-containment even more valuable?
5:10 p.m.
President, JLH Consulting Inc.
Right now there are a lot of NGOs and organizations that offer this certification. For example, at SweetSpring Salmon in the State of Washington--I designed their farm--they have the first double green certification from the Monterey Bay Aquarium, so they're fully certified under that program. But there are other programs, so yes, the answer to your question is a very big yes.
5:10 p.m.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
It will mean that your product will be worth more money, and if it does not receive the certification.... It's something like what happens in the agricultural sector: people pay more. You talk about how a dollar is a dollar, but people pay more for organically grown vegetables than vegetables that are not grown that way. Do you see that coming into play some way in your industry?
5:10 p.m.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
In my opinion, for what it's worth, this eco-certification is going to decide what's sold and what's not sold and for how much.
5:10 p.m.
President, JLH Consulting Inc.
I agree--and also public opinion. Unfortunately, net-pen farms have lost the public's confidence.
5:10 p.m.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
You're telling me, too, that your farm can be set up anywhere. If you want to set up outside of Chicago, if you have two acres, you can do it.
5:10 p.m.
President, JLH Consulting Inc.
Basically yes, as long as the land price is not exorbitant.
5:10 p.m.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
Anyhow, technology can take over jobs. It has done it and it looks like it could be on the way in your industry, too.
Thank you very much.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rodney Weston
Thank you very much, Mr. MacAulay.
Mr. Holder, I want to take this time to thank you on behalf of the committee. We really appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedule to appear before us and provide us with an abundance of knowledge and information. I really do appreciate that. Thank you once again on behalf of the entire committee.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rodney Weston
Thank you.
We have one more item of business before we adjourn. I've been given notice of motion. I'll ask Mr. Toone to read that motion.
5:10 p.m.
NDP
Philip Toone NDP Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC
It is regarding the supplementary estimates (B):
That the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans consider the Supplementary Estimates (B) on or before December 6, 2011, pursuant to Standing Order 81(5), and that the Minister be requested to testify.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rodney Weston
Thank you, Mr. Toone. Notice has been given. I've asked the clerk to set aside the second hour on Tuesday for us to consider this motion.
The other item I might have discussed with some of you in regard to bringing it forward today is the budget for travel for the committee. We'll discuss that on Tuesday in the second hour as well.
There being no further business, I would consider this meeting adjourned.