I don't think so. I think right now there's a court ruling in the Saulnier case saying that a licence can be used as collateral. Therefore...well, let's just take the example of something I heard recently. A gentleman purchased another licence; I won't name the agency, but he paid 11% interest on it. People are being forced into those situations because they're either going to have to get out of the industry or they're going to have to pick up another quota. Going that route places an unfair burden on some harvesters.
Through the court ruling, it's been indicated that licences can be used for collateral. Officials from my department have been in touch with Mr. Baird and the deputy minister, and all we are waiting and hoping for is to have the minister sign off on that. That will allow harvesters to use their licences as collateral. Right now, if you're willing to go out and put up everything—your house, your truck, and everything you own—against it, given the uncertainty over fish prices and fish stocks, you have a chance of losing all of that. People aren't willing to take that chance.
If there's anything this committee can do, it's to forward that cause and have that signed off. We'd certainly appreciate it. I have made the case to Minister Shea's office and I will continue to do that. Hopefully in the next short while I'll be visiting Ottawa and making the point to her again.