Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, Ministers and Deputy Ministers, for joining us.
I'm joined at the table by my colleague, Lawrence MacAulay, the MP for Cardigan, Prince Edward Island, Scott Simms, the MP for Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, and Scott Andrews, the MP for Avalon. We just mentioned that, to us, your last two slides are probably the most important slides of what you had to say in your presentation.
We haven't a lot of time, so I'll split my time with my colleagues.
Very quickly, could you give us some reference as to whether or not the impact of the income shortfall in the lobster industry is very comparable to the impact of what we're now experiencing in the shrimp industry? We're seeing basically all fisheries across the board having significant income reductions to all fishers.
Will the $15 million short-term assistance for the lobster industry be adequate in responding to the needs of fishers from Quebec, Nova Scotia, P.E.I., New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador? Are there other mechanisms available that you would recommend to us as a committee and to the government, specifically through the EI system, to be able to respond to the income shortfall? That's one of the most important aspects that fishermen and our constituents collectively have been telling us is their primary concern. It's being able to survive the short-term crisis in order to be part of the long-term renewal.
Would you be able to comment on the $15 million, but as well, is there any advice you could give us as to what needs to happen within the EI system, if that's appropriate, to be able to respond?