Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Da Pont and Mr. Hearn, I'd like to offer my personal thanks to the crew of the coast guard who are helping out the trapped sealers on the northern and eastern parts of Newfoundland. I think they're doing a great job looking after everyone. It's amazing there's been no loss of life, which is fantastic.
Mr. Minister, you announced, and Mr. Da Pont verified, the fact that because of the possible $10 million worth of work needed to be done to the BIO wharves, the decision was made to move two vessels from the maritime region into Newfoundland and Labrador.
Mr. Minister, we're in the game of politics. But there's an old saying that if it doesn't pass the smell test, there's something wrong.
The reality is that I spoke to the union, local DFO officials, and the coast guard, and nobody was advised this was happening. The City of Halifax was not advised. The province was not advised. You would think that if you were going to take about 130 full-time equivalent jobs out of a region, two vessels, and the infrastructure attached to it, the province and the municipality should have at least been advised this was coming.
I know that Mr. Williams, the Conservative Premier of Newfoundland, is raving very hard at the Conservatives right now. I can't help but think that one ship going to Mr. Manning's riding and one ship going to your own riding—doesn't it smack of grievous politics? Mr. MInister, I'm sure that if the situation were reversed and you were in the opposition, you would be saying the same thing. That's my concern.
I have a question that's not very often asked on the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation. We're hearing different things through the media on dual marketing or keeping it the way it is. Could you expand on that?
My last question for you is this, because time is running short. I believe Mr. John Duncan, who was a former Conservative MP, is now your special advisor on the west coast. Was he advised prior to the tabling of Bill C-45 and consulted on the act before it was tabled on December 13, 2006?
Thank you, sir.