Mr. Speaker, I am certainly pleased to rise and speak to the bill that has been put forward by the member for Northumberland—Quinte West, and to say that of course we on this side of the House will support the motion that he has offered up today.
I am pleased to speak to this on behalf of my colleague from Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, who is not able to be here but was a strong supporter of having this designation made. He certainly made a request upon all of us as part of our caucus to support it, and the member did not have to work very hard because, as members know, hunting, trapping, and fishing are really the foundation of how this country was built.
If we want to look back to the one thing Canadians have had in common through those early years, it was how we participated in the business of hunting, trapping, and fishing from one end of the country to the other, to sustain ourselves, to grow our communities and our provinces, and to provide for our families. Our story in Newfoundland and Labrador is really not unlike any other story that can be told in any province or territory across Canada as to our involvement or engagement in those industries.
We know that obviously we have transitioned into lots of different industries over the years, and will continue to do so. However, it is very fair to say that in Canada today hunting, trapping, and fishing still remain as core industries that support our economy and our communities and the people of this country in many ways. As most members know, I live in a northern region of the country and I have many trappers in my riding. I have many fishers and fish camps, and a lot of fur farming that goes on. So I am very well informed as to how the industry works and the benefits it brings to the people I represent, as it does to many others across Canada.
However, what I also see is the people who spend a lot of time nursing and nurturing the industries and protecting what they partake in. I always find it so very offensive when I hear people who often speak out against some of these industries in which we participate without knowledge and understanding of what it really means or how it is really conducted. I find it very offensive. Just recently, I was told of Ellen DeGeneres and how she has donated money to fight back at the sealing industry in Canada. I was absolutely appalled, because I have not known this person to ever come and sit among the aboriginal people of the north to talk about this industry and what it means to them and how it impacts them. Oftentimes I am very offended when I hear people like this express their opinions and their thoughts without ever looking at the real issue and the real side of the story we are presenting in Canada.
Going back to the early days in our history, there are many stories to be told around Newfoundland and Labrador, just as we would hear in the Northwest Territories, northern Quebec, and northern Ontario. They are stories of the companies like the Hudson's Bay Company that came and set up in those early days, so that trappers and hunters would have a place to trade their product and to earn a living. Back in those days, the first nations people, who were very nomadic people in Labrador, would always come down into the villages that were settled by the Metis and the Inuit and others, and they would trade with the companies for food, just as the people in the village would do. Even through those years in the commercial fishing industry, my grandfather's stories to me were always about when they first started to trap, fish, and catch cod and salmon. It was never exchanged for money; it was always exchanged for food and for supplies, just as it was in the trapping and hunting industry for many people.
For most of their lives, that was how business was conducted. There was very little money that exchanged hands, even in Labrador, prior to confederation with Canada. It was only then that merchants would give out money as opposed to just trading supplies and food. There are a lot of stories to tell.
In my region and throughout Newfoundland and Labrador today, there are hunting and fishing associations made up of people who partake in the industry from either commercial or recreational bases; but either way, they are the conservationists. They are the people on the land. They watch what happens with every single animal species. They watch what is happening with regard to the whole ecological system. They also take notes and report anything they see that may or may not seem right or appropriate. They are some of the best conservationists I have ever known and take what they do very seriously, simply because the livelihoods of many of them are still connected to the land and the activities of trapping, hunting, and fishing. It is very sacred and important for them to ensure that there is proper management.
One of the things I have been very proud of about the people I represent is their ability to meet with environmentalists and scientists and exchange stories and information about how they manage particular species in particular industries. We have seen that a lot in the fishing industry, particularly in Labrador, where a lot of the recommendations for the industry are taken from the input of those closest to the industry. I have been very proud of them when they have said that they see things differently today and want to make sure that quotas are reduced, that there are further protections or that there are zones exempt from any kind of fishing or hunting activity. It is very important that their input is heard because they are, in my opinion, the experts on the ground.
It is important to take this occasion to recognize the importance of hunting, trapping, and fishing to the people of this country, how it comprises the history of who we are, both aboriginal and non-aboriginal, across the country. However, it is also an opportunity to send a louder message to people all around the world that Canadians are nurturers and protectors, people who work hard to make a living, have tremendous respect for their forefathers, and are very proud of who they are and their heritage.
I am hoping that by designating a day in this country, we will recognize and honour that particular industry, and that it will also become an opportunity to speak to people all around the world about who we are and what we do. It would be a day to honour all of those who built this country through trapping, hunting, and fishing. I am sure that it was not easy in those days, but it was very important.
In concluding my comments, I want to say that people in parts of Labrador continue to honour the age-old traditions, to participate in these activities and be the lead conservationists in protecting the lands, animals, waters, and fish. We are the stewards of where we live and are very proud of that.