Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'd like to thank all the witnesses who have made themselves available today for this finance committee session on fisheries. Fisheries are certainly an important sector of our economy. I think it's very relevant that we're taking a look at this today. I would like to point out, being from the west coast, that there is one part of Canada's fisheries that isn't being represented here today, and that is the recreational or the public food fishery on the west coast. It's certainly a massive input into the economy in western Canada which I think needs to be considered as well, not to take anything away from our Atlantic and gulf and Newfoundland fish harvesters, processors and marketers, which are all big parts of our economy.
I'd like to start by asking for yes and no answers from all of the participants. I'll go through the roll call after I go through my questions.
On April 25, the Trudeau government announced the $62.5-million Canadian seafood stabilization fund, which they claimed was a support package for our fish and seafood sectors. Unfortunately, this support was delivered to one link of the fish and seafood supply chain, the processors. It delivered no support for the harvesters. I've heard from harvesters who are shocked the government would deliver support to one segment of the sector but not to others, especially when you consider the fact that harvesters and processors depend on each other.
Have any of you been provided with an explanation from the government as to why the government chose to exclude harvesters from the Canadian seafood stabilization fund announcement, yes or no?
I'll start off with Ms. Burridge.
You can nod or shake your head. I can see you on the screen.