Thank you.
I have a question about small craft harbours.
The Government of Canada has included funding for small craft harbours in its economic action plan. Essentially, small craft harbours are as important to coastal communities as the 401 is to Toronto. Vital small craft harbours that are administered by your department need to be fully operational and safe.
Your department really needs to move faster on repairs. There are a lot of concerns in my riding and many others that the infrastructure is essentially falling apart. The longer you wait, the more these harbours are going to become damaged, ultimately leading to higher costs both for our stakeholders and costs of repair generally.
What measures are being taken by the department to meet the recommendations outlined in the fisheries and oceans committee report of 2009, especially with regard to ensuring there are sufficient funds for harbour renovations and maintenance and for increasing the budget for small craft harbours?