Well, there are so many priorities--and I'm certainly not trying to duck the question in any way, shape, or form, because I, like you, am well aware of the situation and well aware of those affected by it.
We talked about fish plants and investment, and coming together and building the industry. Well, in order for a fisherman to fish he has to have a wharf. You can't fish if you don't have a wharf to fish from, and we have to make sure that's factored in.
We also have to be well aware, as others are, of the changing dynamics in the fishery, and everything is a challenge. There are a lot of priorities in the fishery. What we can say is, yes, we've already recognized the need to put more money in. We already have all the new money that we got, the $11 million, as I mentioned--which, by the way, was on top of the $20 million this past year. When the $20 million leaves, there is a gap to fill. Will we be trying to make sure we don't fall behind? Yes, we will.
Can we use help? The $20 million, the $100 million, would not have been there except for the work of the committee and those interested in the fishery. You have a number of other departments looking for dollars, as are the different sectors of my own department, all looking for a share of the pie. So the more help we get in making our argument....
If I'm the only one saying there's a problem with wharves across the country, well, it's pretty easy to dismiss. If people are showing that the fishery needs an investment--this is the lifeblood of many communities in our country--then that makes the job a lot easier. It doesn't matter what political stripe you are. All of us can do that.
I don't mind the pressure on me. What we always need is help when we have to put pressure for the final dollars.