Debates of Nov. 19th, 2010

Judy Foote Random—Burin—St. George's, NL

With respect to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and foreign vessels in offshore waters: (a) what is the department doing to address the illegal fishing of Newfoundland cod as bycatch and the misreporting of turbot catches and other species; and (b) will the government make public the department’s reports concerning boardings and inspections of foreign vessels in offshore waters?

Gail Shea Minister of Fisheries and Oceans

Mr. Speaker, in response to (a), the bycatch limits for stocks managed by NAFO take into consideration NAFO Scientific Council advice. Canada and other NAFO contracting parties have committed to reduce bycatch, including the bycatch of southern Grand Banks, divisions 3NO, cod, to ensure that the NAFO stocks still under moratorium can recover and that stocks that have recovered sufficiently to allow targeted fisheries continue their path to recovery.

At its 2010 annual meeting, NAFO decided to establish a working group to develop rebuilding plans for 3NO cod and 3LNO American plaice in 2011. This working group will consider the key principles and elements in the development of conservation plans and rebuilding strategies, including a commitment to keep bycatch to the lowest possible level and restricted to unavoidable bycatch in fisheries directing for other species. These conservation plans and rebuilding strategies are expected to include measures to address bycatch.

Addressing the misreporting of catch of NAFO-managed stocks continues to be a top priority for Canada in NAFO. Based on our surveillance assessments of Greenland halibut, there has been a relatively low level of misreported catch. Canada continues to work within NAFO and with other contracting parties to improve compliance on this and other areas in the NAFO regulatory area fisheries.

In response to (b), reports of inspections, conducted under the NAFO Joint Inspection and Surveillance Scheme, are considered third party information. Canada is unable to release this information given international confidentiality agreements and the commercially sensitive, proprietary, nature of the information.

Navdeep Bains Mississauga—Brampton South, ON

With regard to the government’s Economic Action Plan: (a) how many projects have been funded in partnership with the provinces and municipalities; (b) for how many of these projects has the government been informed that the March 31, 2010 deadline for substantial completion will no longer be met, listing for each the title of the project; and (c) for how many of these projects has the government been informed that there is a risk of no longer meeting the deadline for substantial completion, listing for each the title of the project?

Jim Flaherty Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, in response to (a), under Canada’s economic action plan, the government has committed nearly $5.6 billion in federal funding toward over 7,000 provincial, territorial and municipal infrastructure projects.

In response to (b), please be advised only the national recreation trails initiative was subject to a March 31, 2010 deadline for project completion. All projects were completed by the deadline.

In response to (c), the government is monitoring progress on projects on an ongoing basis, but has not been provided with a listing of individual projects at risk as of October 5, 2010.

Tom Lukiwski Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, if Questions Nos. 407, 408, 409 and 429 could be made orders for returns, these returns would be tabled immediately.

The Deputy Speaker Andrew Scheer

Is that agreed?

Anita Neville Winnipeg South Centre, MB

With regard to the Economic Action Plan, for every rejected application in Manitoba: (a) on what date was the application submitted; (b) on what date was a decision reached; (c) in which federal riding would the project have taken place; (d) on what date was the applicant informed of the decision; and (e) what would have been the total federal contribution?

Anita Neville Winnipeg South Centre, MB

With regard to the Economic Action Plan, for every project in Manitoba: (a) on what date was the project announced publicly; (b) was there a public event associated with the announcement and if so, what was the cost of the public event; (c) what was the federal share of the funding; (d) what was the provincial share of the funding; (e) what was the municipal share of the funding; (f) on what date was the application for funding submitted; (g) in what federal riding was it located; (h) what is its description; (i) what is the estimated completion date; and (j) on what date was the application for funding approved?

Mauril Bélanger Ottawa—Vanier, ON

With regard to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), how much money has Canada contributed to date for the implementation of the EITI in each fiscal year since its inception in 2002 and from which departments or agencies did these funds come?

Pablo Rodriguez Honoré-Mercier, QC

With respect to the Marquee Tourism Events Program, in the last two fiscal years and for each riding: (a) how many applications were received and what was the total amount requested; (b) how many applications were deemed eligible and what was the total amount of those applications; (c) how many applications were deemed eligible without seeking approval from the minister and what was the total amount of those applications; and (d) how many applications were approved by the minister and what was the total amount of those applications?