It must be my birthday or something. Thanks very much.
I also wanted to say to the members of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans that once in a while this committee does get together and do something that's pretty significant. I've been here since 1997, and we've done 26 reports, I believe, 21 or 22 of them unanimous.
At a press conference the other day the Chair introduced the new seal harvest plan. One of the concerns we're hearing is that in Europe, countries such as Germany are getting a tremendous amount of pressure from various organizations such as the animal rights groups in the United States and IFAW. They're putting in significant concerns to harm, really, our seal harvest in Canada, and the harm is especially to our first nations and Nunavut sealers.
When they were here before the committee, the Nunavut people said very clearly that you can't separate the two of them. If you put a ban on sealing products and a ban on seals, then you affect their culture and their way of life.
I know it's too early to offer any questions regarding the recommendations. I basically wanted to let you know that you have another tool in your tool box, and we would encourage everything possible that the government could do, working through your agency and other groups like foreign affairs, to promote and enhance our seal harvest capabilities on the Atlantic coast.