Evidence of meeting #32 for Fisheries and Oceans in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was farms.
8:35 p.m.
Conservative
Ron Cannan Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
Before I go to Tom, I have just one more question concerning your organization's involvement in the Cohen commission. Have you had an opportunity to testify yet?
8:35 p.m.
Manager, Salmon Farming Campaign, Living Oceans Society
I have not. I'm leaving that to the scientific experts. I'm more a politician.
But CAAR does have standing as part of the conservation coalition at the Cohen commission, and several of our member groups, including the science experts in those member groups, have been monitoring it very closely and will be offering evidence.
8:35 p.m.
Executive Director, British Columbia Branch, Aboriginal Adventures Canada
If DFO recommends that in some of the expansion of the fish farm industry there be revenue and equity sharing for first nations within our traditional territory, those first nations can already go to Western Economic Diversification for up to $2.7 million, as long as they have 51% or more of that business.
Now, speaking to our vice-chair's question earlier about small business, every aboriginal—and as a consultant I teach them this—has, on the back side of their status card, three panels. I help them scratch out the three windows to get access to the $75,000 they have available as a grant, which they don't have to repay as long as they're responsible in running their business properly, through Aboriginal Business Canada. Given that 51%-or-more access for first nations, by virtue of DFO stating that expansion of some of the farms within the coast has to be under those guidelines, you open the door to small business expansion; you open the business to bands participating.
We as aboriginals and consultants like me, you can bet dimes and dollars, will be pursuing every one of those companies she named that don't serve farmed fish right now in their grocery stores, for corporate donation for the band level and the individual level, to get their businesses up and going. I do it right now with the run-of-the-river projects.
All the pieces of this puzzle for success, for all of us to get some good industry going while we're looking after our salmon resource as a number one priority, are in place; we just have to have some policy change from Ottawa.
8:40 p.m.
Executive Director, British Columbia Branch, Aboriginal Adventures Canada
And some money. That helps.
8:40 p.m.
Conservative
Ron Cannan Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
Here is one last question, Mr. Kingwell. I want to compliment you and your colleagues for your volunteering. We drove by your hatchery today and heard some very good comments about your stewardship. We appreciate your dedication.
You mentioned that you produce quite a few salmon a year. Approximately how many does the hatchery produce per year?
8:40 p.m.
President, Powell River Salmon Society
We produce in the neighbourhood of 1.4 million chinook salmon, in the neighbourhood of 375,000 coho, and around 800,000 to a million chum. In some years we will produce pink salmon. Historically we have produced some freshwater fish—brook trout, cutthroat trout—for the freshwater fishery.
8:40 p.m.
Conservative
Ron Cannan Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
How many years has this hatchery been in operation?
8:40 p.m.
Bloc
The Vice-Chair Bloc Raynald Blais
Thank you very much, Mr. Cannan, Ms. Stewart, Ms. Young, Mr. Sewid, Mr. Kingwell and Mr. Connors.
We thank you very much for having taken the time to come and meet with us.
May I remind you— and I also remind the other witnesses who were here for the first part of the hearing—that if by happenstance, good will or generosity you have other comments in the hours or days following the meeting that you would like to share with us, do not hesitate to send them to us in writing. We will take the time to read them and this will allow us to do better work.
Thank you very much for your cooperation.
I also thank the members of the committee for their cooperation. Well done.
In conclusion, I will say thank you so much.
The meeting is adjourned.