Madam Chair, I am rising today out of solidarity. I am rising today to tell our fellow citizens, whether they are from Quebec, the Maritimes, the north, or elsewhere, that we were taken for a ride. Therefore, it is essential today that we go beyond partisanship and that we give ourselves the tools to protect the livelihood of the many families that are going to suffer the most.
As members of Parliament, we are here to conduct our business, but today some people are watching us and they want to know what is going to happen to them. This evening, I am not speaking as the critic on national defence issues but, rather, as the Quebec lieutenant of our Leader of the Opposition.
I know that some Quebeckers are watching us right now, and I want them to know that this party and all parties must work hand in hand. We must use the Prague summit to tell Europe and the European Union that what has happened is unacceptable. If we do not do anything, if we do not react, the European Union will not be the only one to act in this fashion. Asia will also do it.
Today, we have all talked about numbers. We know that this activity accounts for 30% of the income of these families, and these families do not make big salaries. Therefore, we must work together. I am not rising only because I am a Quebecker. Frankly, I was upset, during oral question period, with the answer given by the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. Instead of showing solidarity, she told us that, unlike the Liberals, her party was defending the seal hunt. That is totally unacceptable. We have always worked very hard to protect seal hunters and that industry.
Therefore, I would ask the government to be less partisan. We are having this debate today because we want to work hand in hand to make a difference and help those who are going to suffer the most. I do not have to stress the critical importance of that industry. That industry may also allow us to do something else. A German scientist has discovered that we can transplant the heart valve of a seal. From a medical perspective, this could lead to an extraordinary industry. We could get involved in processing activities. Seals can be used for many things. They provide food and fuel. Moreover, sealskin can, of course, be processed for our use.
Of course we will always remember Brigitte Bardot and the crying baby seal in 1987. Those days are over. I would like our Prime Minister, who is in Prague, to recognize that there is a problem and that if we want to save the industry, we need to have fewer cocktail parties and admit that there might be a cause and effect relationship between current negotiations and the situation facing the seal industry.