Robert Thibault

[Fisheries, March 21st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member and his committee for the outstanding work on this most important issue for Atlantic Canada.

I should like to make it clear that Canada will not tolerate the deliberate abuse of NAFO rules by foreign fishing fleets on the Grand Banks and the Flemish Cap.

I have announced today as a first step that Canada is closing its ports to fishing vessels from the Faroe Islands for persistent violations of NAFO measures and disregard for conservation of the fish stocks.

[Fisheries, March 20th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, once again I can assure the member that the government and officials of DFO and all government departments will do the best we can, our utmost, to ensure that regulations and laws are followed. If those countries and vessels do not want to follow the regulations of NAFO and the Canadian regulations, then we are happy to have them turned away.

[Fisheries, March 20th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for this very pertinent question. As this matter is currently under investigation, it would be unfair to give out details, but I can tell the member that this government, like the member himself, takes matters of overfishing and unregulated harvesting on the nose and the tail of the Banks very seriously.

We will work with the provinces concerned, with the industry and with the international community to bring all fisheries under proper, good jurisdiction and management.

[Fisheries, March 18th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to advise the member that I have been in contact with Seafreez. I have been in contact with the community. I will work with my colleagues to find any solution we can for Canso.

Nothing would make me happier, like the member, than to have assisted my friends of that community. However I had to take the responsible decision as minister of fisheries and will have to find a solution other than the redfish.

[The Environment, March 11th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, funding from the government on all environmental matters has been unsurpassed in history. We have worked with all institutions and provinces and will continue to do so. It is a priority of the government.

The member raises a specific point that I will take under advisement, and the minister will respond once he returns to the House.

[The Environment, March 11th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the government works in collaboration with the provinces and international governments to strengthen our emission standards. Emissions on sulphur will, as of July of this year, be among the most stringent in the world, and we will continue to work with proposals such as Kyoto to improve greenhouse emissions.

[Fishing Industry, February 27th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, first of all, I wish to thank the member and all my colleagues in the gulf area for their interest in this matter.

He will recognize that it would be premature for myself at this time to make statements as to the stocks and as to the fishery or limit of the fishery for the summer period next season.

However I can advise him that we are holding our first round of negotiations with academic and industry sectors, after which we will publish the results on the cod stocks, the scientific data.

The FRCC will hold wide industry and community consultations and will be making recommendations to me, recommendations which I will consider more seriously before making a final decision.

[Fisheries and Oceans, February 22nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I can assure the member, just as I did in my previous portfolio, I will continue to work with the Atlantic Salmon Federation. In my current portfolio I will work with the ministers of fisheries and the premiers of all the Atlantic provinces to try to find solutions that include both the federal government and the provincial governments, as well as local governments, community organizations and the private sector to come out with a long term sustainable solution.

[Fisheries and Oceans, February 22nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member and his colleagues for bringing this matter to my attention. They brought it to my attention as early as this morning for the first time. I can assure them that I will take immediate action to make sure this is resolved as quickly as possible.

Unfortunately, before seeing my responsibilities in the act and the details of this matter, I cannot prejudge which way I will decide, but I can assure them that I will be expeditious.

[Fisheries and Oceans, February 22nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for informing me of the proposal and ensuring that I understood it well. He brings to light a very important problem, a fundamental problem. We have limited resources and a lot of capacity and a desire for that resource, to produce it, process it and maintain those communities.

I can assure the member that I will give full consideration to the proposal that he has brought forward as well as the proposals brought forward by the people of Canso.