Fisheries Committee on Oct. 6th, 2009

Evidence of meeting #36 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 within.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Amendments to the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization Convention

Committee Business

MPs speaking

Also speaking

David Balfour Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Fisheries and Aquaculture Management, Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Guy Beaupré Acting Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Fisheries and Aquaculture Management, Department of Fisheries and Oceans

5:05 p.m.

Acting Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Fisheries and Aquaculture Management, Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Guy Beaupré

Of course, after every session of discussions, somebody has to put all the comments together and bring out the new text the following day so that the discussion can continue. As I said, at first this was an amalgamation of text that came from other RFMOs or from parties that had a particular aspect that they wanted to put in.

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

Scott Andrews Liberal Avalon, NL

So a party didn't bring that forward.

5:10 p.m.

Acting Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Fisheries and Aquaculture Management, Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Guy Beaupré

No. As I said, this clause came from NEAFC, the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission.

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

Scott Andrews Liberal Avalon, NL

Okay.

I have a question about the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission. Are there any EU countries on that commission?

5:10 p.m.

Acting Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Fisheries and Aquaculture Management, Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Guy Beaupré

Well, the EU is part of that commission.

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

Scott Andrews Liberal Avalon, NL

And is it currently in that particular agreement?

5:10 p.m.

Acting Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Fisheries and Aquaculture Management, Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Guy Beaupré

Yes.

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

Scott Andrews Liberal Avalon, NL

How long has that agreement been on the table?

5:10 p.m.

Acting Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Fisheries and Aquaculture Management, Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Guy Beaupré

It was modernized just prior to NAFO, so maybe a couple of years before.

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

Scott Andrews Liberal Avalon, NL

Have any of the other coastal states approved or ratified this convention as of yet?

5:10 p.m.

Acting Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Fisheries and Aquaculture Management, Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Guy Beaupré

Currently, Norway has ratified, and the EU has tabled its text in Parliament and at the council. Other parties, such as Korea, don't have to go through a parliamentary process. They might just notify NAFO that they agree with the convention.

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

Scott Andrews Liberal Avalon, NL

What about the United States?

5:10 p.m.

Acting Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Fisheries and Aquaculture Management, Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Guy Beaupré

The United States is proceeding with its process. It has not finished yet.

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

Scott Andrews Liberal Avalon, NL

Are you monitoring the comments that are being made in that jurisdiction?

5:10 p.m.

Acting Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Fisheries and Aquaculture Management, Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Guy Beaupré

Well, it's going through the process of agreement through parliament. I don't think it has been discussed item by item.

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

Scott Andrews Liberal Avalon, NL

Going back to Mr. Stoffer's question, the document states that it would be at the request of the state to come into the 200-mile EEZ and would be voted on. So who would vote on this, and what is the context of that?

5:10 p.m.

Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Fisheries and Aquaculture Management, Department of Fisheries and Oceans

David Balfour

It would be Canada that would request it.

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

Scott Andrews Liberal Avalon, NL

And in regard to the second part of that, who votes on it?

5:10 p.m.

Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Fisheries and Aquaculture Management, Department of Fisheries and Oceans

David Balfour

Canada would vote on it.

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

Scott Andrews Liberal Avalon, NL

Canada being Parliament? Canada being part of NAFO?

5:10 p.m.

Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Fisheries and Aquaculture Management, Department of Fisheries and Oceans

David Balfour

Canada, for NAFO, is represented through the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, who establishes a mandate for representatives who participate in the NAFO deliberations. So it would be under a mandate as set out by the minister.

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

Scott Andrews Liberal Avalon, NL

I'm just trying to get the “and votes for” part. I understand that the request of the state is done by the department and the minister, but who votes for it?

5:10 p.m.

Acting Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Fisheries and Aquaculture Management, Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Guy Beaupré

This is just to take account of the fact that...let's say we are requesting a measure to apply in a Canadian zone; it is debated at the table with other parties and there are changes to the proposal. We may be in a situation where, in the end, we decide to vote no, even though we had requested it.

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

Scott Andrews Liberal Avalon, NL

So we request it, change our minds and vote no, and then they vote yes and it passes.

5:10 p.m.

Acting Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Fisheries and Aquaculture Management, Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Guy Beaupré

Yes, but if we request it and vote no, it won't happen.