Fisheries committee  Will you sign an agreement if these provisions are in there? If any of these provisions are in there, will this text be ratified by this country?

Fisheries committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Chair; and welcome, Mr. Minister. What does this proposed de minimis provision that you've spoken about include? You say that was proposed in April. Was that April of this year?

Fisheries committee  What I would like to know is, with all these negotiations going on, which are so desperately important for the inshore fishery—in fact, it's the death of the inshore fishery if what is proposed happens—why did the government wait until April to put this proposal forward? These proposed WTO rules will destroy the inshore fishery in this country.

Fisheries committee  We have had experts come before and tell us that representatives from certain countries have indicated that Canada has not been very opposed to these measures, which would be so destructive to the inshore fishery. How would you respond to that?

Fisheries committee  Not to interrupt you, but I believe DFO could take the credit for that. I don't know if you discussed that when you were over there.

Fisheries committee  It's obvious you didn't see how massive an issue this is in P.E.I.

Fisheries committee  A small place, but a big industry.

Fisheries committee  Okay, thank you very much. Also, were international trade agreements covered by your audit? I heard you mention the Atlantic tuna agreement, Mr. Thompson. I'm interested in what part that would play. There's always a concern in what is fished, how much is fished, how unfair the amount of quota is that's given to certain areas like Prince Edward Island fishermen.

Fisheries committee  The tuna issue, you--

Fisheries committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I would like to welcome you here, and, like everybody else, wish Mr. Thompson a great retirement. We around the table here are trying to prevent that from happening. At least I am. You've dealt with invasive species a lot. In our region--I come from Prince Edward Island--the blue mussel is a big industry, and this is a major problem.

Fisheries committee  That wharf was built solely by the community. Is it fully a first nations community?

Fisheries committee  So you have the boat, but no dock. I'll pass it to one of my other colleagues, Mr. Chair.

Fisheries committee  You want this committee to put in a report to the Minister of Fisheries and the government. What I would expect you want in that report is that you'd like to expand a little bit on the idea that your fishermen have a long piece to go in order to get to a safe harbour. You have to dredge it yourselves.

Fisheries committee  Time is short. Mr. Traverse, the Jackhead Reserve.... First of all, thank you for coming, and there is absolutely no need to apologize. We've heard a lot rougher language than that over time. It was not rough at all, and we're very pleased you're here. Is your wharf totally first nation?

Fisheries committee  How far do you have to go in order to get to a safe harbour?