Mr. LeBlanc.
Evidence of meeting #26 for Finance in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was sector.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #26 for Finance in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was sector.
A recording is available from Parliament.
3:55 p.m.
Commercial Director, Group MDMP
It's the same answer. Maybe Mr. Gagné has, but personally I was not involved.
3:55 p.m.
Executive Director, Lobster Council of Canada
Yes, there was lots of interaction about the big-picture issues but not specifically about that program.
3:55 p.m.
Executive Director, Maritime Fishermen's Union
Specifically about the programs that have been announced now, no, we were not .
3:55 p.m.
Executive Director, Prince Edward Island Fishermen's Association
No, we were not.
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
Okay. Thank you.
As you know, the Canadian seafood stabilization fund is meant to help processors “comply with new health and safety measures for workers”. Again, when we look at the supply chain that starts with the harvest, it doesn't make sense that the government would provide funding for the safety of workers employed by processors without providing support for the safety of workers on board harvest vessels and at the wharves and docks where catches are unloaded.
Have any of you been provided an explanation as to why the government provided support for worker safety only in the processing operation?
3:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter
Who wants to start? If anyone wants to give it a go, raise your hand or just push the microphone.
Go ahead, Leonard.
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
If there are any positive affirmations out there, raise your hand or hit your microphones.
Obviously no, or apparently no, I should say.
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
Okay. I have a lot more questions, so I'm glad we're going to get another round in here.
The loss of international markets has dealt a severe blow to fishermen and the seafood sectors. Have any of you received an explanation from the government as to why they have failed to deliver any resources or initiatives to move Canada's world-class fish and seafood products to high-value markets overseas?
4 p.m.
Executive Director, Lobster Council of Canada
I've had many, many calls with Ag Canada about support and many different options and ideas. We're involved with the Atlantic fisheries fund with our marketing strategy every day, so, yes, we've had some discussions for sure.
4 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter
Okay, we have to leave it there.
We'll turn to Mr. Fraser and then to Mr. Ste-Marie.
Sean.
4 p.m.
Liberal
Sean Fraser Liberal Central Nova, NS
Excellent. Thank you so much, Mr. Chair. Thank you to all of our witnesses.
I represent a constituency on the east coast that has a lobster fishery on both the Atlantic coast and the Northumberland Strait, so this panel is of particular import to the communities that I represent.
I'm going to target my questions initially to Mr. LeBlanc. To the extent that there are supplemental answers from others at the end, I would invite you to join in, but I'm going to try to cram a lot into the next few minutes. To the extent, Leonard, that you could keep things short, I'd appreciate it.
First is on the income support issue, which is a theme that came up throughout this panel. The challenge as I understand it is that typically, fish harvesters in our region earn 12 months of income in about two months, give or take, depending on the area they may fish out of. In addition to the income they get from harvesting, many fishers earn enough to qualify for EI, which provides additional income support through to the following fishing season.
In this current year, for either market reasons or health reasons, we may find ourselves in a position where fishers are without the income they normally rely on and are hit by a double whammy, so to speak. They may have a reduced catch, a lower price or may choose not to go out for public health reasons. Because of that, they will have lower earnings, which in turn will deny them access to EI. If they do qualify for the CERB, they're still going to be without income for potentially six months of the year.
Can you express to me why it is going to be so important to cover this gap? It feels like the black hole issue we became familiar with a few years ago on steroids, in some regard. Have I summarized the issue appropriately, and is the answer as simple as putting in place the CERB or EI during this period for harvesters?
4 p.m.
President, Gulf Nova Scotia Fishermen's Coalition
I think you summarized the problem exactly as we see it as industry representatives.
To the question you asked, there has to be something to fill the gap. We need a bridge. We need it from either CERB or from fishing to next year.
4 p.m.
Liberal
Sean Fraser Liberal Central Nova, NS
To supplement that, one of the issues that I've heard come up from some local harvesters is that they're not as worried about the guys who fish multispecies year round, or maybe who have a record year against the odds and might make a couple of hundred thousand dollars if they have a particularly good year. They're concerned about those people particularly who may have had a shortened season, may not get the price they want or may potentially, because of the pandemic, have to choose not to fish for health reasons.
Is there a way we can target those people who don't meet the income support thresholds that they usually need to qualify for without extending benefits to people who may not need them because they've had a successful year?
4 p.m.
President, Gulf Nova Scotia Fishermen's Coalition
They use the revenue they've earned to qualify or disqualify, but I think you have to target the area. I think in the southern gulf, the spring fisheries are the areas you have to target for aid. We know that we're going in at a deficit even before we set a trap in the water. I think that's the general area you have to target.
4 p.m.
Liberal
Sean Fraser Liberal Central Nova, NS
I'll pose my next question to Captain Jollimore just to get a harvester's perspective and to bounce the questions around. I know there are a number of people here with a lifetime of experience in the industry.
A couple of witnesses testified to the importance of liquidity. Essentially, the access to cash is what seems to be a major issue. I find in Ottawa, when we have our meetings in boardrooms, everyone has a pretty good concept of small business expenses like rent, utilities, phone and Internet. The thing that kills me here is that there are a lot of people, particularly earlier in their career, who may have taken on massive debt that they won't be able to service because the cost of a vessel, a licence or the gear is so expensive.
For the benefit of the public who might be taking this in, can you give us a sense of the kinds of things that your harvesters are going to actually have to pay for and which they don't have the cash flow to cover?