Monsieur le président, merci.
Thanks to our witnesses, Ms. Mayes and Mr. Pujdak, for being here today.
I'm going to concentrate my questions on you, Mr. Taylor.
I would like to begin by applauding your efforts to promote the development of the fisheries sector.
Thanks for your efforts that groups like yours across the country do. In my own part of the country it's the Pacific Salmon Foundation and groups like that.
The government is in the difficult position of having to fulfill its campaign commitments of reducing deficit, of staying on course to boost the economy, and therefore reducing costs while fulfilling its mandate to build the sustainable fisheries. Certainly the government is vulnerable to criticism, because no matter what it does, one can say it's reducing in one area or another, because that's exactly what the government sought to do and got the mandate to do.
At the same time, I agree with you that we need to concentrate our resources to do the things that you're trying to do through your foundation. I'd like to ask you a couple of questions.
Firstly, what benefit do you see in concentrating on these three fisheries—aboriginal, recreational, and commercial? Secondly, we've talked about the engagement, and you've raised some very specific concerns about the level of engagement. Perhaps part of that would be to get out some of the information, such as in P.E.I. You may not know that there will be four conservation and protection offices set up in Alberton, Charlottetown, Souris, and Summerside.
My question for you is this. What are some of the best practices that you can refer to based on your previous experience with DFO—or with MPs? How can that engagement be better, given that we will have timeframes that will find everybody having to move fast? This is a government that is trying to get things done. Give us some examples of how you think this engagement should work.
The first is the concentration on the three fisheries; what advantages do you see we can achieve, in obtaining a sustainable fisheries, by doing that, being strategic?
Secondly, how can we operate going forward to improve on this engagement that is of such concern to you and me and my colleagues ?