Evidence of meeting #58 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 budget.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Acting Regional Director, Small Craft Harbours, Central and Arctic Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
There are two additional requests on the table. There are maybe about 16 harbours in the prairie provinces, in the freshwater part of Canada, and seven in Nunavut.
Conservative
Acting Regional Director, Small Craft Harbours, Central and Arctic Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
In the prairies it's 16 freshwater harbours.
Conservative
Blaine Calkins Conservative Wetaskiwin, AB
It's sixteen freshwater ones. Okay, that clears it up for me.
I can share my time with Mr. Kamp.
Conservative
Conservative
Randy Kamp Conservative Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge—Mission, BC
Wow, I don't have to be that quick, then.
How do you see our role or responsibilities changing, if at all, as aquaculture becomes more of an industry in certain of your regions?
Regional Director, Small Craft Harbours, Newfoundland and Labrador Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Well, I think there's certainly going to be a demand placed on the small craft harbours as aquaculture emerges more as a part of the fishing industry. In small craft harbours directorate we've given a fair bit of thought to aquaculture and how it might be best approached, and we're thinking that perhaps there is a role for small craft harbours branch in this area of provision of basic services that the aquaculture industry needs. We would have small craft harbours directorate rather involved in the provision of facilities that are needed for basic services; those kinds of facilties that are needed for specialized purposes--biosecure or high security zones with specialized equipment and that kind of thing--would not be a part of small craft harbours.
There are certainly some challenges throughout the country related to aquaculture. The marine infrastructure needs of the aquaculture industry are quite different from the needs of our traditional client base. In terms of how we can accommodate these users within existing harbours, congestion and user conflict issues are arising in certain locations as a result of the emergence of aquaculture.
I think there's definitely a role for small craft harbours in the future in this area. As is the case with so many things, some additional financial resources will be needed to really and truly provide the infrastructure and services this industry requires, so it will be another funding demand emerging from aquaculture, I would think.
Conservative
Randy Kamp Conservative Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge—Mission, BC
I'm interested in maybe the more philosophical question of whether we feel taxpayers should be funding that to the same level as they do commercial fishing in the more traditional sense.
Regional Director, Small Craft Harbours, Newfoundland and Labrador Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
I think there is a way that a reasonable policy framework could be set up to allow what would be appropriate for our program, which is small craft harbours, and what would best be left to industry.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gerald Keddy
Is there anyone else? If not, Monsieur Asselin requested the information on small craft harbours from his particular riding. If we could extend that information to all the committee members, it would be helpful. We can get you the list of the ridings of the other committee members.
I think the basis of the question from Monsieur Asselin was the work that is either under way or proposed.
Bloc
Gérard Asselin Bloc Manicouagan, QC
Mr. Chairman, I would certainly appreciate it if Mr. Bouchard could provide us with that for each riding. I do not represent just the interest of my riding on the committee, I represent the interests of Quebec as a whole, together with Mr. Blais.
We want to have the true picture of the situation facing small craft harbours in Quebec, because the committee will be travelling, and we would like to know which regions we should visit. In addition, we would like to know among other things what the situation is before we leave.
Second, I think that a member of Parliament for a riding such as Manicouagan, which is on the North Shore, never has too much information about the state of the harbour infrastructure owned by the federal government. I'm having trouble explaining to the association of volunteers that there is no money, that the wharf is deteriorating, and things are getting worse and worse, when the Auditor General's report states that this year the government has a surplus of $15 billion. I'm having a hard time understanding that.
Regional Director, Small Craft Harbours, Quebec Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
I have noted your questions. They are quite specific. We can provide that information for you. Subsequently, we can provide you with explanations about what the figures mean so that you will be well informed when we visit these sites.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gerald Keddy
Merci.
I'd like to thank our witnesses for appearing today. It's always an interesting discussion on small craft harbours around this table in this committee. I appreciate your time and the effort you brought here. Thank you very much.
The meeting is adjourned.