Evidence of meeting #25 for Fisheries and Oceans in the 40th Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was countries.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Gerry Byrne Liberal Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL
So there is no discussion occurring between HRSDC and Fisheries and Oceans on providing an income support program, and there never has been?
Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
There are no discussions in the abstract, not that I know of, no.
Liberal
Gerry Byrne Liberal Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL
What you're saying is that the minister, then, who said there are discussions occurring.... Minister Diane Finley said there are discussions occurring between her department and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. She reported that in the House. Did the minister mislead the House?
Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
I'm sorry, but I cannot speak on behalf of the minister. I can say that there would be discussions when there are ice condition issues. There will be discussions. There have been discussions in the past and there will be discussions in the future. There may be discussions on any given day regarding the state of the ice. At the moment the ice is not a problem.
Liberal
Gerry Byrne Liberal Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL
Is it the case that the ice has not been a problem for the last six weeks, according to the professional opinion of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans?
Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
I will get back to you with more specifics on that, but my understanding is that the ice at the moment has not been the problem. However, the price has been a problem.
Liberal
Gerry Byrne Liberal Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL
This is quite a revelation for the fishers who are affected on the northeast coast of Newfoundland, those in the Northern Peninsula and Labrador, because it was very clearly stated to them through the minister, Diane Finley, that there was an acknowledgement by her department and her government that there was a problem and that discussions were under way with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. That was reported to the House of Commons on April 22, 2009, and it was reported that a program would be announced shortly. This is very serious, Madam Deputy Minister.
Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Mr. Chair, it's possible that I don't have all the information. I'm more than happy to go back and do some further research to ensure that we provide all the information possible.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
The P.E.I. Fishermen's Association has presented the government and the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans with an EI proposal. Looking at the situation and the catches in certain areas in Prince Edward Island and Atlantic Canada, have you seen this proposal, and do you support this EI proposal, which would allow fishermen in Atlantic Canada, specifically on the south side of Prince Edward Island, to receive employment insurance?
Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I have seen the proposal and I have had discussions myself with the PEIFA. As this committee may know, I was there last week to look at a variety of options, and we are currently analyzing all the information we have. I can't say whether or not I would support that option or another option. As you also heard the minister say, she is working very hard to determine what the right course of action will be.
Bloc
Raynald Blais Bloc Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC
Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
With regard to the seal hunt, when Prime Minister Stephen Harper was in Europe, he made some statements to the effect that he was going to continue to vigorously defend this issue. He also committed himself to providing assistance to those communities affected. I was wondering if the department had already prepared a plan in order for us to be able, eventually, to assist those communities affected by the embargo or the ban on seal products.
We know full well that there will be an impact, the severity of which has yet to be determined. In that sense, these communities will be affected with regard to the markets, etc. Have you reflected upon this issue?
Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Mr. Chairman, we know that there will be an impact if we are not successful in opening up any of these markets. However, the impact is really difficult to determine as long as we do not have the answer with regard to the interpretation relating to the transportation of seal products via Europe. We therefore do not know precisely what the impact will be.
We must develop other markets, other transportation routes, etc. It is therefore impossible, at present, to determine exactly what the impact will be. We therefore are unable to speak about what might be done to assist the fishers or hunters.
However, the government of Canada does have programs, within the development agencies, that might assist in these cases, and we will see what the needs are when we have more information.
Bloc
Raynald Blais Bloc Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC
My question for you and for your department is the following: what is the “game plan“ as of now?
Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
First of all, we must obtain the precise details of the directive, its interpretation and the impact of the decision. We are also trying to determine where we might be able to find other markets, in other words which markets we could attempt to open up to our sealers. We will be able to see from year to year what we are able to do to help them.
Bloc
Raynald Blais Bloc Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC
Are you of the view that the key to success is, in the end, to convince people in general? Which leads me to my question: is there a “game plan“ to reach out to the general population and to convince people that the hunt is sustainable, humane, that it has economic value and that the species is not threatened?
Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Forgive me, but could I ask a question? Are you talking about the European population?
Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
For the time being, that is not in our plans, because it is obvious to me that the door is quite closed. We will therefore see if there are any openings. Given the research on heart valves and omega 3s, we believe that there could be other openings, but this will happen slowly. If we develop markets elsewhere, the Europeans themselves might start demanding these products.
When we went to Europe, the minister, the ambassador and myself, we asked repeatedly why Europeans were not being allowed to choose to purchase or not purchase seal products. If the Europeans are not interested in these products, they will not buy them. The answer they gave us was that the European Union had to protect consumers against these products. That, we did not understand.
Therefore, perhaps by demonstrating that these products are of great value in other markets, the Europeans will start demanding them themselves.
Bloc
Raynald Blais Bloc Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC
Do you plan on helping the industry with regard to the larger remaining markets, namely the Asian market?
Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Allow me to put a question to you: you talk about helping, but in what way?
Bloc
Raynald Blais Bloc Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC
Given what is happening, the abolitionists will clearly not stop there. They will pursue their action and plan new stunts. If they were unable to carry them out in Europe, they will do so in Asia.
Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Mr. Chairman, yes, absolutely, we intend to protect these markets and to keep them open. We will do everything we are able to to this end.
Conservative
Dave Van Kesteren Conservative Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you all for appearing with us this morning.
As is often the case, we've heard excellent testimony, and you must be somewhat frustrated when we're looking for answers and asking what you have done and what you could have done that wasn't possibly done. I suppose we all sometimes are guilty of being armchair quarterbacks. As I'm listening to testimony—and I think it's very evident that this is a very complicated file, and it must have been very difficult for you to move through, especially when you don't know what's going on behind the scenes—my question would be: do you see a helpful role that this committee could play, possibly within the next few weeks, whereby we might be able to move this file forward?
I guess I'm opening it up and giving you an opportunity to come back and say, here's what you can do to help us. If either one of you could answer that question, I'd be appreciative.
