Evidence of meeting #27 for Fisheries and Oceans in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was little.
NDP
Peter Stoffer NDP Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS
Does that money cover the very minimal basics of small maintenance?
Chairman, North Rustico Harbour Authority
Very minimal. We're getting down there. Our chequing account was never so low, because we took it on ourselves last year to try to do a little extra patching and this and that.
NDP
Peter Stoffer NDP Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS
My last question for you, sir, is this. You indicated that when you took over these harbours as an authority you were given no training whatsoever. Is that correct?
NDP
Peter Stoffer NDP Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS
Do you know of any other authorities that were given training on how to do what Mr. Matthews said, bookkeeping, what you should be charging, how you should look for repairs, that kind of stuff?
Chairman, North Rustico Harbour Authority
There should have been money given to the harbour authorities to hire a bookkeeper. We don't have the money to hire a bookkeeper. We have a bookkeeper and we have to pay her something. But we were left with no money to do anything. We were given harbours: “Take it and go on home.”
The 80-20 is still in place. If I find a project in Rustico or if they find a project in the harbour that's under $50,000, we pay 20% and the feds will pay the difference. If it's over $50,000, it has to go to Ottawa and it has to be....
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Fabian Manning
Thank you, Mr. Stoffer.
Mr. Peters, you piqued my interest with your last comment. That's a new one on me, too, learning as we go. Are you telling me that--
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Fabian Manning
I don't know of anywhere that we pay 20%. That's what I'm trying to get at. So if you have a project at your facility for $40,000, the harbour authority pays 20% toward the repairs of that and the small crafts harbours program supplies the rest.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Fabian Manning
They don't pay 20%, not that I'm aware of.
Is that a rule across the board?
Chairman, North Rustico Harbour Authority
We know it's a rule. We try to keep it up above $50,000. That way it goes to Ottawa and you people have to decide if it's a project then.
Conservative
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Fabian Manning
But even projects that I'm aware of in my own riding for repairs that have to be carried out, the harbour authority doesn't pay 20%.
Chairman, North Rustico Harbour Authority
The cheque comes from small craft harbours. We put it in the credit union, and then we have to write a cheque for that amount plus 20% of our own.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Fabian Manning
It's a new one on me.
I'm not supposed to be interfering in the conversation. Mr. Calkins, go ahead.
Conservative
Blaine Calkins Conservative Wetaskiwin, AB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Peters, it certainly is good to hear from you. I had the pleasure of staying at Stanley Bridge last summer for a week. I think I actually took Marvin Graham out for a day fishing and I saw...is the name of the bay London Bay?
Conservative
Blaine Calkins Conservative Wetaskiwin, AB
I had a good look at the breakwater there. Now, that's a creosote post breakwater there, and because the breakwater has so many gaps or holes, the current no longer keeps open the channel that the fishermen from Stanley Bridge use.
Is Stanley Bridge part of your harbour authority?
