Evidence of meeting #14 for Fisheries and Oceans in the 39th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was put.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Gerry Byrne Liberal Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL
On that, Mr. Chair, in the St. Anthony area I'd like to get some representation from southern Labrador as well, of course, outside of my understanding of it.
As for the topics, the management of the Canadian seal hunt is one specific issue, one venue, but is there any appetite for other issues?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gerald Keddy
The other issue was the Transport Canada issue dealing with boat stabilization. What we've done in other locations is ask boat builders, in particular, to come in. If you have the head of a fisheries group or someone like that who would like to talk about boat length, cubic metre size, issues like that, bring them there. But have them stay on subject; don't have them get off on another issue.
Liberal
Gerry Byrne Liberal Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL
On that point, just give me an idea so I can understand. We'll arrive Monday morning. Will it be evening sessions or afternoon sessions?
The Clerk
For most of the places, I am going to organize two panels in the morning: one from nine o'clock to 10:30 on the seal hunt, and one from 10:30 to 12 o'clock on boat stability. We'll keep the afternoons free for site visits.
Liberal
Gerry Byrne Liberal Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL
Richard, if you're travelling from St. John's on Monday morning to get to St. Anthony, and you want to start sessions at 9 a.m., that's going to be pretty tight.
François Côté Committee Researcher
I have a suggestion in terms of witnesses for southern Labrador. It would be interesting to hear from communities supporting the seal hunt, particularly if you could find some first nations people involved in the seal hunt.
Liberal
Committee Researcher
That would be very interesting for the future study, and we could transmit the information we get from this to the European delegation.
Liberal
Gerry Byrne Liberal Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL
The final thing is that in terms of site visits, there's a state-of-the-art shrimp plant there that has invited the committee in to observe. The plant will be in operation. So that may be of interest to the committee. There are several other things we could look at, but I can put that together for members.
So we're free the evening of Monday, November 6, to do various.... I'd just like to put the package together for the committee to enjoy St. Anthony while you're there.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gerald Keddy
I've enjoyed St. Anthony before. I've had to pray to St. Anthony the next morning after I've enjoyed St. Anthony.
Mr. Kamp.
Conservative
Randy Kamp Conservative Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge—Mission, BC
Just to clarify, on Thursday we'll be flying to Halifax, arriving at what time? And is the charter then going on to Ottawa that night?
Conservative
Randy Kamp Conservative Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge—Mission, BC
Any idea of when it would get into Ottawa?
Conservative
Randy Kamp Conservative Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge—Mission, BC
Are we free to stay in Halifax if we're...?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gerald Keddy
Yes, you can travel on your own, if you don't want to take the charter back to Ottawa; there might be better accommodations.
Monsieur Asselin.
Bloc
Gérard Asselin Bloc Manicouagan, QC
I received the committee's invitation to go on this trip. Unfortunately, I won't be able to make it. However, I will check to see if I can rearrange my schedule to go to the Magdalen Islands and possibly return to Ottawa the same evening, or the following day.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gerald Keddy
Merci.
Okay, gentlemen, we have the motion put forward by Mr. Stoffer. We'll debate the motion after I read it quickly, as follows:
That the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans adopt and report to the House of Commons the following motion:
The Committee on Fisheries and Oceans recommends that the Government:
1. Not apply Marine Service Fees on Canadian commercial ships transiting to and from waters north of 60° based on the socio-economic conditions of the North consistent with the fee exemption established in 1997;
2. That this exemption be applied immediately without any further delay and that the Canadian Coast Guard's cost recovery policy with respect to the North be subject to further review in the development of a national Future Approach to the Marine Services Fees;
3. Whereas the Marine Service Fees collected by the Canadian Coast Guard on the provision of sealift services to the Eastern Arctic is not consistent with the current exemption based on the socio-economic conditions of the North, specifically the reality that the Eastern Arctic is dependent on re-supply by way of the south given its unique socio-economic conditions;
4. Whereas the peoples across Canada's North including remote communities experience the highest costs of living in Canada; and
5. Whereas the communities and residents of the North maintain and exert Canada's Arctic sovereignty across the Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Nunavik and Northern Quebec, and Labrador.
It's open for debate.
Monsieur Blais.
Raynald Blais Bloc Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC
I have two comments. It's now 1:15 in the afternoon. I appreciate that this matter warrants our consideration. Moreover, a notice of motion has been received. I have only one question at this time. Could we postpone our debate? I don't feel that we could have an enlightened debate at this juncture. Could we postpone the debate until next Thursday?
Personally, I need to check into a few things, as you yourself mentioned earlier, before I can vote on this. Therefore, I respectfully suggest that we postpone the discussion until our next meeting. We'll have more time then, because our attention is focused elsewhere right now.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gerald Keddy
I appreciate that. As always, the chair is at the will of the committee. I was hoping we could put this behind us today. Mr. Stoffer asked earlier if we could hold it until Thursday, and we mentioned that we would try to do that, so if it's the feeling of the committee, that's what we'll do.