Fisheries committee  I would say at the outset that in terms of program changes, the only elements with regard to program changes would be with regard to some of the activities under international fisheries and governance. But under the 2008 budget, those funds were reconfirmed, so while they will show as a decrease in terms of the planned, they actually will be reinstated as a result of the budget announcements and the supplementary estimates.

Fisheries committee  I believe we did consider doing this, and we discovered that the film rights were rather costly. However, I would need to get more information before giving you an exact answer. The only other comment I would make, Mr. Chairman, is that this debate is, up to a point, one that is based on emotions.

Fisheries committee  With regard to the first part of the question, I would say we are convinced and working very hard to preclude a ban. The ambassador has been before this committee a number of times, and I'm sure he would be willing to appear again as he undertakes another series of meetings in the next couple of weeks.

Fisheries committee  Mr. Chairman, there are no plans to review the requirements or do any kind of in-depth study. By extrapolating and doing some basic analyses of the extent of the deterioration of the wharves, we can get a fairly good idea of our financial requirements. We can adjust our figures on the basis of certain events or specific activities.

Fisheries committee  Thank you again for your question. Without committing to do an in-depth study of the two questions that you and other members of the committee have raised, I will say that we have started to consider the impact of climate change. However, that impact cannot easily be translated into numbers.

Fisheries committee  Mr. Chair, there is no--as the question has been posed--budget line, so to speak, for sealing. There are a number of instances when throughout the department activities are supported in terms of research under science; support to undertake fish management plans and surveys; discussions with the industry and stakeholders; support to the actual sealing activity, the hunt itself, either through search and rescue, icebreaking, and sometimes even taking some ships.

Fisheries committee  I believe that the requests for transfers were done under the Atlantic fisheries policy and that these were enterprise allocations that could be transferred under that policy. I don't think there have been any requirements with regard to landings. That is not in fact a regulatory capacity of the department.

Fisheries committee  Thank you for the question. The listing of species under the Species at Risk Act is in fact a fairly extensive process where we do have a number of opportunities--when there is an interest or an intent established by COSEWIC--for us, for DFO, and for our scientists to be able to provide additional information when we are uncertain as to whether or not the listing should be done, and if so, under which of the headings.

Fisheries committee  Certainly. Thank you for the question. Discussions on the issues around the salmon runs—and I will put the species, salmon, as plural—have started and have been going on for quite some time with, I would say, all the stakeholders along the coast and within the river system, because the returns last year were so low and the predictions for this year are in fact fairly low and in a critical situation.

Fisheries committee  Thank you. I believe a number of issues were raised by the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development in the recent report, and we are working with the Department of National Defence on these sites. We are working and helping them in the mapping and the identification.

Fisheries committee  This is something that I think we can discuss with our colleagues from the different departments. I think that in some cases, an amicable agreement can be worked out, as you suggested, as a temporary solution. The responsibilities of the departments must also be taken into consideration.

Fisheries committee  I'd like to discuss this further with my colleague from Transport Canada before I commit myself, or him, to anything. His department has its own legislation and regulations. I think this option is worth exploring. In some cases, we have worked out an arrangement. Each situation is fairly unique and port usage is set out in Transport Canada regulations and procedures.

Fisheries committee  As Mr. Hegge mentioned, the only element that we are considering is the Digby harbour. And the budget, as the 2008 budget indicated, has funding or proposed funding for a harbour in Nunavut.

Fisheries committee  That's correct.

Fisheries committee  There are some criteria and there are also some issues around whether or not we have the funding capacity to take these on. There are a number of harbours, as the committee is well aware, that have some challenges—if I can put it that way. The idea of adding more to our responsibilities without the necessary funds would require us to increase our priority-setting challenges.