Fisheries Committee on April 12th, 2010

[Gerry Byrne, Liberal, Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I just want to intervene, if I could, to bring up a point of previous business. During testimony from the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and officials, I asked for help to confirm the department's conviction that the fishery was indeed a public resource. I had asked for a list of licence holders. Included in that was a list of licence holders, their quota, and the specifics of the licences they held. The department committed to me that they would provide the clerk with that information in 14 calendar days. We've now passed that date. Would you be able to report to the committee as to whether or not that request has been fulfilled?

[The Chair, Conservative, Rodney Weston]

The clerk has advised me that there was extensive research involved, and it was necessary in order to compile the list that you're requesting for the committee. So it has been delayed for that reason.

[Gerry Byrne, Liberal, Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL]

Should I take from that that the department is indeed viewing this information as being available to the committee? The question that had been raised by officials was whether or not it was covered under the privacy laws, if I remember correctly. I'm assuming the department is indeed going to release that information; it is just a question now of compiling it for release.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rodney Weston]

That is my understanding, that they are compiling the information and it has taken more research than originally anticipated to compile that list. But they are intending to provide that information.

[Gerry Byrne, Liberal, Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL]

Good to know.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rodney Weston]

Thank you, Mr. Byrne.

Mr. Kamp.

[Randy Kamp, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge—Mission, BC]

Just to clarify on that point, I think you'll see from the record that they said it might take them two weeks to answer the question of whether they could provide it, and then it would take them some time after that. But my understanding is that they've confirmed that they can provide it and they're in the process of compiling it.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rodney Weston]

Thank you very much.

There being no further business, Ms. Morton, once again thank you very much for taking the time to appear.

This committee stands adjourned.