I am not an expert on buyback and rationalization programs. We have always been in favour of keeping our boats. In a way, we have already carried out some rationalization, but not through these programs. We did not receive funding that way. In any case, there were failures. A number of programs were delivered. The last one seemed to please some people, but was not as effective as expected. They thought it would be possible to remove more boats. I should point out, however, that the program was not aimed specifically at the lobster fishery. The objective was primarily to buy back licences for groundfish, at least in Quebec. The effects were not as positive as was hoped, but some boats were removed. The fact is there were complications. There was a licence buyback program for groundfish and a temporary allocations program for snow crab. Initially, the latter program was introduced with a view to establishing a stabilization fund. We were among the first to develop such a project.
The infamous allocation program for crab was diverted over time, supposedly to help groundfish fishing fleets that were in difficulty in Quebec. When the time came to introduce the licence buyback program, given that ongoing allocations had been promised for the crab fishery, fishers did not want to withdraw for only a few thousand dollars, even if it was from the federal government. It is the chicken-and-egg problem. For the most part, people preferred to remain in the system and receive snow crab allocations which were originally to be used for stabilization. But the idea was not to stabilize people whose economic activity simply could not continue. Indeed, as Mr. Déraspe pointed out, a financial assistance program should allow people going through difficult times to get back on their feet and keep going. We are not talking about assistance for life; it isn't forever. When prices drop and these enterprises receive assistance to help them come through the crisis, that is understandable, but again, the resource has to be there when the markets and the enterprises start up again. In the opposite case, if there is a resource problem, I can understand the need to withdraw… That is why things have become complicated. We have to ensure that these problems do not recur. If there are to be buyback programs, they must be effective, so that people will really be interested in responding to the offers.