Evidence of meeting #7 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 heiltsuk.
Conservative
John Cummins Conservative Delta—Richmond East, BC
That black market stuff drags the market price down. They don't sell at the market price. They sell below market price to get in there and effectively drag the actual market price down with them.
Representative, Spawn on Kelp Operators Association
If I were a buyer and I had an option to buy legal stuff versus illegal stuff, of course the illegal stuff would be cheaper, for obvious reasons.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gerald Keddy
Thank you, Mr. Cummins.
I have one final question. Has there been any attempt to sit down with all of the stakeholders in this industry and really talk about some serious rationalization of the market, what the product is worth, and how that product at a maximum price benefits all the stakeholders?
It would seem to me that your original 28 licence-holders had a very sought-after product at a very good price. Everyone had an opportunity to make some money. I'd question whether the increase in quota and the drop in price.... Well, obviously no one's better off. As a matter of fact, even the Heiltsuk, with 50% of the quota, if that's correct, are probably making less than they made when they had only two licences and 32,000 pounds of quota.
Vice-President, Spawn on Kelp Operators Association
If you look at the MOU--which I will be giving to you--you'll see that we didn't give it away. If you look at the Heiltsuk, we didn't give it away; DFO did.
Conservative
Vice-President, Spawn on Kelp Operators Association
No, I know, but what I'm getting back to you is that we have sat down with Heiltsuk, for many years, talking about what is beneficial to everybody. But if they can go to DFO and say “We want more,” they get it.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gerald Keddy
Okay.
Anyway, I appreciate that answer. It's certainly an interesting situation, and a difficult situation, that you're in. We appreciate your forthright answers.
Again, thank you very much for coming. We had a very interesting discussion here today.
We're just going to adjourn--
Conservative
John Cummins Conservative Delta—Richmond East, BC
You can't adjourn, we have a motion on the floor from last meeting.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gerald Keddy
We're not finished. I'm just going to allow the witnesses to leave.
We're going to “suspend”--I guess that's the proper terminology, Mr. Cummins--for a few minutes and then return in camera.
[Proceedings continue in camera]