Fisheries committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair, for allowing us the opportunity to provide some information on our international activities and especially to answer your questions about the travel, specifically Ms. Ridgeway's travel. May I introduce, on my far left, Ms. Michaela Huard, Assistant Deputy M

Fisheries committee  If I may, Mr. Chair, comment quickly on the division of the responsibilities, Ms. Ridgeway will answer in her areas of real expertise. Ms. Ridgeway is not responsible for the entire file. As I said in my opening remarks, it's a collective approach, in the sense that there are p

Fisheries committee  I did want to attest to that. Yes, all of it is audited. As we said in the opening remarks, the choice of venue is never our choice.

Fisheries committee  As you know, we go through this every year, and at this point in time we are looking.... As I said in my opening remarks, I just received the travel plans for everybody for the coming year, and I intend to scrutinize them carefully to make sure that we can get the results peopl

Fisheries committee  That always depends on the trip. Sometimes, it is just one person. However, if we have a number of matters to discuss, we send the appropriate number of people. We also often try to take advantage of a person being in a certain country by asking them to attend meetings that they

Fisheries committee  We discussed that yesterday. It was $2 million.

Fisheries committee  It is just under $2 million.

Fisheries committee  It is around $2 million for the international activities of the whole department.

Fisheries committee  For Fisheries and Oceans.

Fisheries committee  It will be about the same. I will not accept anything higher.

Fisheries committee  The hunt ended in the Îles-de-la-Madeleine yesterday. Now, it will move more to the north in the Gulf. It will get to Cape Breton by Friday or the weekend, and to the Basse-Côte-Nord after that. Later, it will reach what we call the Front of Newfoundland.

Fisheries committee  We know that the people in the Îles-de-la-Madeleine are pleased with the price they are being offered. As for the business internationally, the only reductions we are noticing are not a result of our trade disputes with Europe, but of the economic problems that people are having

Fisheries committee  You cannot expect one in the short term, because it is a big job. However, the former minister and the new minister have promised that consultations are going to be held. Nothing has changed at the moment. We would very much like to hold consultations and to find a little more, s

Fisheries committee  No, it is very important and it represents a major priority for us, but it is very complicated. The minister has asked us to do it and we intend to do so very soon.

Fisheries committee  It is not an easy job. I do not want to give you the wrong idea.