Thanks very much, Mr. Chair.
And thank you, Minister and colleagues.
You and your government assert that Canada already has custodial management of the nose and tail of the Grand Banks as well as the Flemish Cap. One would think if we really had custodial management we wouldn't need to revise NAFO at all. One would think that custodial management trumps NAFO, unless of course custodial management claims are actually quite fraudulent.
Would you explain why the Conservative government has as its official policy that it has achieved custodial management and we don't even need to actually be talking about NAFO, other than.... You say that Newfoundland and Labrador agreed to all of this at those meetings and we should take your word for it. Yet this committee has received specific documentation in writing from the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador that it certainly does not agree with any of this.
Finally, corals and sponges are now protected from bottom trawling by NAFO within its jurisdiction, in an area outside the continental shelf and into deeper waters. It is an intriguing situation on which you can show some real leadership. Consistent with that NAFO decision to ban bottom trawling to protect corals and sponges in the offshore area outside the continental shelf, since Canada has jurisdiction and management control over sedentary species on the continental shelf, you, Madam Minister, have the power to ban bottom dragging on our continental shelf on the nose and tail of the Grand Banks. Consistent with the NAFO decision, Minister, you can ban foreign fishing activity on the nose and tail to protect those sponges and corals. Will you do it?
There are three questions for you.