House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2011, with 31% of the vote.
Business of Supply May 28th, 2009
Mr. Chair, I realize that, like me, the minister has parliamentary work to do and many not have had time to go to Europe as often as she might have liked. But did Fisheries and Oceans officials attend European Parliament committee meetings so they could talk, as they should, to the parliamentarians?
Business of Supply May 28th, 2009
Mr. Chair, once again, we want real numbers: how many foreign parliamentarians have our people contacted to make sure they heard Canada's side of the story before the latest European Commission vote?
Business of Supply May 28th, 2009
Mr. Chair, the minister seems to be saying that efforts have been made to lobby the European Union. That may be, but I would like to hear some numbers: how many times has the minister gone to Europe, herself, to raise awareness among European parliamentarians about the seal hunt?
Business of Supply May 28th, 2009
Mr. Chair, I would clarify that I said two thousand metric tons, not 2 million. My English is still not that great, but I can say “two thousand” in English to be perfectly clear.
Now for a few questions on another subject: the strategy of her government and her department on the seal hunt.
What efforts have been made to convince the European Union not to ban seal products?
Business of Supply May 28th, 2009
Mr. Chair, the minister could perhaps provide us with a bit more detail. Does this plan which she will be announcing shortly call for 2,000 metric tonnes as called for by the fishers in that industry for the southern Gulf region?
Business of Supply May 28th, 2009
Mr. Chair, I thank the minister for her reply and I can assure her that a number of interested parties from the Rimouski region have been listening to her this evening. They will have taken note of what she has said and will surely be waiting for results in the coming days.
I have a few more questions for her on a different tack.
With respect to the cod fishery, we know that the minister is preparing to announce a groundfish management plan for the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence, When will the minister be announcing this plan?
Business of Supply May 28th, 2009
Mr. Chair, I invite the minister to go to Rimouski with me and meet the fishers and other wharf users so she can see how critical and dangerous the situation is.
As I said, the Government of Canada has been appealed to for some years about this situation. We know now that preliminary studies have been carried out and everyone agrees on extending the breakwater. Everyone also agrees that remedying the situation will take a few million dollars.
Does the minister commit, right away tomorrow, to finding out from her departmental people what the status of these studies is? Will she commit to going to Rimouski to see the situation for herself?
Business of Supply May 28th, 2009
Mr. Chair, I will repeat what I said earlier about safety. Is the Department of Fisheries and Oceans waiting for terrible accidents to happen during storms because the cribbing on Rimouski wharf is inadequate? Is she waiting for someone to be injured, or killed or simply for vessels, a large investment for fishers, to break up when they crash into the wharf?
Business of Supply May 28th, 2009
Mr. Chair, I thank the minister.
I would like to know what criteria would make the Rimouski wharf a priority this year or next. What criteria are used by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to assess the work to be done on infrastructure?
Business of Supply May 28th, 2009
Mr. Chair, I do not believe it is a question of dredging. As I mentioned earlier, the ongoing problem with the Rimouski Wharf is the cribbing, the rock seawall that is inadequate during northerly and easterly storms. Therefore, it is not about dredging.
I have been told that this is the first time I have spoken to the minister about this matter. That is the case because I was just elected in October 2008. However, my predecessor questioned her predecessor on May 19, 2006. In his reply, the latter confirmed that he intended to carefully examine the options.