Fisheries Committee on March 7th, 2013

[Trevor Swerdfager]

I'll talk about the first part of your question, and with respect to lobster, I may call on my colleagues.

To the question whether we promote and market farm salmon, the answer is no. The market access program component under the sustainable aquaculture initiative is used to explore third party certification and contribute to the discussion around third party certification standards. You're probably familiar with the Marine Stewardship Council. The flip side of it, so to speak, is the Aquaculture Stewardship Council.

I forget the exact number, but there are now approximately 25 aquaculture certification-type initiatives. Within the $17 million of the program, $200,000 is set aside to support efforts to develop the standards, procedures, protocols, and so on, associated with the development of those standards.

Concerning our investments in the Lobster Council of Canada, I confess that I don't have those numbers at hand, but my colleagues may.

[David Balfour]

First, as I think you know, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans does not have a mandate for the promotion of fish or seafood products or aquaculture products. That responsibility is with the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

In the case of lobster, the department has been active, as have been the Atlantic provinces and Quebec, in supporting the formation of the Lobster Council of Canada, which came together in 2009. We have provided financial contributions as seed money to that council since that time. In the current fiscal year, it is $20,000, for a total of $90,000 since 2009 for the council. It is, as you know, working with all segments of the lobster sector to develop standards, to promote Canadian lobster, and to support the sustainability of lobster as well.

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

Thank you very much.

In the supplementary estimates, $68,000 has been taken from the operational expenditures to provide a source of funds to establish a business transformation and renewal secretariat of the Privy Council.

What is this, and what is it all about?

[Roch Huppé]

It is basically a unit that was formed in PCO to overlook horizontal issues and see in what areas savings could be generated. In order to set up that unit in PCO, departments were asked to contribute financially to cover the expenditures, including the salary expenses of that group.

DFO's contribution to the setting up of that group is $111,000 a year. Our contribution for 2012-13 is $68,000.

That's why there was a transfer done to PCO.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rodney Weston]

Thank you very much, Mr. MacAulay.

Mr. Donnelly.

[Fin Donnelly, NDP, New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Swerdfager, you mentioned you believe the cuts to the number of DFO or habitat offices in the field would make the department more efficient. I'm wondering if you have considered those in the field, or others in DFO, in fact, who are very concerned with these cuts.

In terms of the Fisheries Act, I would submit that these changes have created more uncertainty. In fact, I'm hearing from the development community, and even in some instances from industry, that this uncertainty exists. There was discussion about consultation, and I think there are a number who feel they haven't been consulted on these changes, including the regulation you referenced earlier, and especially first nations.

Unfortunately I don't have enough time to ask questions on those. I do want to get to my question, but there was also another comment about the promotion of aquaculture. I'm just looking on the website, where you have the national aquaculture strategy action plan, on which I believe you work with the Canadian Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers. It says:

Strengthening Sustainable Aquaculture Development in Canada Canada has considerable untapped potential in aquaculture. The National Aquaculture Strategic Action Plan (NASAPI) was developed to help Canada realize that potential....

It then goes on to comment further.

It's certainly a very confusing message we're hearing at the committee today, and given this document, essentially you could interpret that as promoting the industry.

Certainly Cohen, in his deliberations, also commented about the confusing mandate of DFO to promote aquaculture and at the same time protect or conserve wild salmon. One could argue about that being the reason for the Cohen commission in the first place. Unfortunately, I don't have enough time to ask all those questions, so I'd like to talk about the closure of BIEAP and FREMP, the Burrard Inlet environmental action program, and the Fraser River Estuary management program.

On February 28 of this year, FREMP and BIEAP announced that they would be closing their doors on March 31 of this year. They say that it is due to the federal government cutting $150,000 in funding to that program, which represents a significant portion of their $350,000 annual operating budget. This also, of course, follows on the department's significant cuts to habitat protection and staff in other offices.

I'm wondering if you could comment on that. Then I have another question about the coast guard.

[David Balfour]

As you've noted, this office is being closed. The DFO is a partner in that operation, one of five agencies that have been part of this initiative. Suffice to say, though, that this closure is not going to be something that'll affect our posture in terms of the fish protection program, and we're not looking to reduce resources as a part of this.

[Fin Donnelly, NDP, New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC]

Thank you.

In the remaining time that I have, I'd like to turn to the Kitsilano coast guard station closure.

Ms. Thomas, it's my understanding that Ms. Vija Poruks, who was the assistant commissioner, western region, was fired, and that Gary Sidock was brought in from the east coast to shut the facility down. I'm wondering if you have a quick comment on that, if that's the case or not.

[Jody Thomas]

I can tell you absolutely that Assistant Commissioner Vija Poruks was not fired. She is on leave. She has chosen to leave the coast guard after a long and illustrious service in the public service, many years with the coast guard. She was in absolutely no way fired.

[Fin Donnelly, NDP, New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC]

Thank you.

Officials have been reassuring members of this committee that the closure of the Kitsilano coast guard station is having no impact on coast guard response times. However, the recent incidents in Vancouver have raised serious concerns, primarily that response times would be much quicker if the Kits station were still open.

In response to yesterday's early morning incident with the sunken fishing vessel, the minister claimed RCMSAR responded in 11 minutes. However, a spokesperson for RCMSAR confirmed the auxiliary crew arrived on scene after the hovercraft, which came from Sea Island station.

There were also reports that the assistant commissioner of the coast guard's western region stepped down or went on leave after refusing to close the Kitsilano station on short notice. Given the outstanding concerns of many British Columbians that closure of the Kitsilano station is putting lives at risk, I'd like to move my motion:

That, because the safety of Canadians will be compromised with the closure of the Kitsilano Coast Guard Station, the busiest station in Canada, and because there was a lack of consultation with stakeholders and experts the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans immediately study the impact of the potential consequences of the closure of Kitsilano Coast Guard Station.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rodney Weston]

Thank you, Mr. Donnelly.

[Fin Donnelly, NDP, New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC]

I do have copies in both official languages.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rodney Weston]

We have copies as well. Thank you, Mr. Donnelly.

Proper notice was given. Even with the topic today, that notice wasn't required, but anyhow it's a topic at hand. It's been moved by Mr. Donnelly:

That, because the safety of Canadians will be compromised with the closure of the Kitsilano Coast Guard Station, the busiest station in Canada, and because there was a lack of consultation with stakeholders and experts the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans immediately study the impact of the potential consequences of the closure of Kitsilano Coast Guard Station.

On the question, Mr. Kamp.

[Randy Kamp, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge—Mission, BC]

Mr. Chair, as is our practice, I would move that we would go in camera for the consideration of this motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rodney Weston]

It's moved by Mr. Kamp that the committee go in camera for consideration of this motion.

(Motion agreed to)

We will suspend at this time so the officials can leave, and the committee will take this motion into consideration.

Thank you.

[Proceedings continue in camera]