We appreciate your taking the time out in the middle of deer season to attend the meeting.
I'd like to welcome our presenters. This is an important issue. We certainly have a number of representatives here from the boat building industry and from the fishing industry.
As everyone in the room, I'm sure, is aware, Transport Canada brought in new regulations in 2004. They haven't been implemented yet, but they're going to deal with stability tests and the safety of our fishing boats.
It could be expensive to go through a stability test, $7,000 to $10,000 for individual fishermen. So we're trying to hear from, first of all, the fishermen, and certainly the boat building industry, on how we can implement this, how we can support safety, and at the same time make it so that fishermen can still afford to fish and not have to spend their entire earnings on boat stability tests, when they already have a Canadian steamship inspection certificate.
We do have some individuals in the room who wanted to know how to submit a written report to committee. You can submit a written report to the clerk of the committee at the House of Commons. And she's writing furiously here now. Actually, she's given me her e-mail address, which is FOPO@parl.gc.ca. If e-mail doesn't work, then snail mail will. We're still happy to hear any further submissions from the audience.
We'll move on to our first witness. Who's first? Do we have a pecking order?
Dixon's Marine Group.