Fisheries Committee on March 13th, 2008

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

Do I have two minutes?

[The Chair, Conservative, Fabian Manning]

You have ten seconds.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

Very quickly, I recently met with a group called One Ocean, which is very concerned about the proliferation of the industrial capacity. Newfoundland is a perfect example, the south coast, in our chair's riding. I suppose you'd call it the imposition of the industrial sector vis-à-vis natural gas and oil. And one of the things they're calling on is a greater ocean management strategy in regard to the potential of a disaster like this.

[The Chair, Conservative, Fabian Manning]

Using my riding doesn't give you any more time, so clue up your question.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

I'd like to get your comment on that.

[Claire Dansereau]

Certainly.

We have, and the minister has, met with One Ocean as well. Again, it's exactly the same type of consideration. Governments need to balance the priorities, balance the needs, balance the requirements, to make sure that we achieve a result that is sustainable into the future.

Whether or not they have the right answer, I don't know. I know that we're working with them and we will continue to do so.

[The Chair, Conservative, Fabian Manning]

Thank you, Mr. Simms.

Mr. Blais, for five minutes.

[Raynald Blais, Bloc, Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC]

Thank you very much.

Ms. Dansereau, I'd like you to tell me your intentions regarding the rural communities and the fisheries. I wouldn't dare ask you for an action plan now, but I would like to know whether you will favour much closer relations between the department and the rural communities.

[Claire Dansereau]

From what I see right now, our employees in the regional offices and subregional offices are working very closely with the communities, with the people of the small harvesters industry. If there's a shortage, closer relations should be achieved on that level. These people work in the same environments. We're working very closely with these employees. My vision, if I could have one for the department, would be to reinforce that aspect.

To date, I find that our employees take their responsibility for working closely with the rural community very seriously. Of course, we may not always have the time to do everything people would like to see us do. The fact remains that my role will be to oversee, ask questions, set challenges and see that things continue to get done in this way. I think our employees are in a very good position to take on this task.

[Raynald Blais, Bloc, Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC]

My question doesn't concern employees in the local offices so much as it does senior management or management with regard to the rural communities.

[Claire Dansereau]

The deputy minister travels, of course. Having an associate deputy minister gives the deputy minister, or an associate deputy minister, the opportunity to travel, since someone stays at home. So I always act in her absence. That gives her the chance to travel more and to meet with the communities, and the same is true for me. We can do that because there are two of us.

That will open the door to this kind of travel, to the possibility of meeting with people and spending time with them. On the other hand, we definitely can't do other people's work. We can show up and listen, but the day-to-day work is done by our employees in the regions.

[Raynald Blais, Bloc, Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC]

Earlier you mentioned that you intended to go to Newfoundland and Quebec. I'll let the people of Newfoundland ask the question for Newfoundland, and I'm going to focus more on Quebec.

I'm not necessarily wondering what the purpose of the travel will be, but rather what people you are going to meet, where you will go, how much time that will take, and so on.

[Claire Dansereau]

Three days ago, I talked with the people in our Quebec office about that very thing. We started planning. I'll wait until they tell me what they think I should see. I'll definitely meet Quebec government officials. We're going to find the best places to visit communities, because it's part of my nature to do that. I'll definitely spend time on that. Personally, I'd like to go to Baie-Comeau, but I don't believe I'll go. I'll go and visit the place where needs seem the greatest, so that people can talk to me.

So I don't yet have those answers.

[Raynald Blais, Bloc, Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC]

I could make a lot of suggestions to you.

[Claire Dansereau]

Yes.

[Raynald Blais, Bloc, Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC]

My riding is big, and Quebec's coastal regions as well. Moreover, I'm just getting back from a tour on that matter. In that sense, I think it would be important... I would be disappointed to learn that you went to meet with senior departmental officials in Quebec City. I would be disappointed to hear that.

[Claire Dansereau]

That's not how it's going to be. In professional terms, I know British Columbia better than any other part of the country. I've seen all the small communities there. I've spent time in those communities. I can't say the same for Quebec or the East. My intention is to get a better idea of the real issues. So I'm going to travel much more extensively in Quebec.

[The Chair, Conservative, Fabian Manning]

Mr. Stoffer.

[Peter Stoffer, NDP, Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS]

Thank you.

Madam, you had also indicated that you're going to Nunavut. Do you know specifically where in Nunavut you'll be going?

[Claire Dansereau]

I didn't organize this trip, but it's one that the ITK, Mary Simon's group, puts on every year for senior officials to visit the north. It is their trip. They organize it, and I will follow along. It's designed specifically for senior officials to get to know the real issues for the real people of the north. When I was at Indian and Northern Affairs I didn't spend any time in the north because my responsibilities were clearly demarcated as south of 60 degrees. I don't know the issues in northern Canada as well as I would like to, and so this is a good chance to learn.

[Peter Stoffer, NDP, Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS]

Good for you for doing that.

One of the recommendations I would make, if you get the possibility, is to meet with the hunters and trappers organization that is very involved in the fishery. Mr. Bevan knows that very well. Most people, when they travel to Nunavut, go to Iqaluit. If you can get a chance to go the high Arctic and Arctic Bay, where fishing concerns are just starting to emerge, that would be very helpful for them to at least know that they have an ear at DFO in that particular regard.

Also, in your forestry background, you mentioned your concern about the environment and protection and trying to match economic opportunities with protection of the natural waterways. One of the concerns we have, and Mr. Bevan knows this quite well, is regarding the mining effluent act, schedule 2, where some companies have permission to use vibrant, healthy lakes as tailing ponds. We had that example in Newfoundland and we have it now in Nunavut coming down, and there are scheduled lakes across the country that are slated for destruction as well.

I'd just like your viewpoint on that, or if you haven't had a chance to study that yet, you could come back at a later time.

One of the concerns we have is that mining companies, we believe, should have independent, separate tailing ponds, free and clear of any natural waterway. This act allows them in some circumstances to actually use those lakes as their tailing ponds, which causes quite a concern for a lot of environmentalists and fishermen.

My last question is for Mr. Hegge.

Sir, what do you see as your role in working with the new associate minister as we go down the road?

[Cal Hegge, Assistant Deputy Minister, Human Resources and Corporate Services, Department of Fisheries and Oceans]

I look forward actually to working very closely with her. Already in the short time she's been here, and she alluded to this, there have been some important files that I'm involved in because I have quite a breadth of responsibilities, as you're aware, including small craft harbours. So Claire and I are working closely on a number of files that I have. She's offered her assistance, given her background, etc., and I'm going to take advantage of that.

[Claire Dansereau]

Thank you.

I don't know the specifics of the act as you're describing it, but I do know that the department has a very significant role in all major project approvals. Where there's going to be an impact on fish or habitat, then obviously there's a whole other government process with the Environmental Impact Assessment Act.

My sense is that these questions should and will be viewed each on a case-by-case basis, each on the basis of what impact will that particular activity have on that habitat next to it, so again that should never change. We should always do these on a case-by-case basis.

[Peter Stoffer, NDP, Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS]

One of the concerns as well is in the media. In the business sections there's a lot of talk regarding the Georges Bank moratorium, which goes until 2012, of oil and gas exploration or drilling on that particular bank, and there are concerns on both sides of the issue as to what effect it may or may not have on the fishery. I would just ask that if you have an opportunity down the road, you would look at that. If it's possible to do both, then that's great. If one affects the other in a very negative way, then that would be of concern.

I thank you very much for that.

[The Chair, Conservative, Fabian Manning]

Mr. Kamp.