We have no option but to react to Mr. Leef's comments. They show an astonishing degree of bad faith. Two members of opposition parties want to be informed about matters that are of fundamental importance for the people they represent, that is whether the overfishing that is going on outside 200 nautical miles directly affects what Canadians want to be able to fish.
Are species that can be fished in Canada also fished in inappropriate or illegal ways in the rest of the world? Is there an effect on the return of those species to Canadian territorial waters, the very resource that Canadians fish? I do not see how that can be made into a desire on the part of the opposition to focus on personal objectives. There is nothing less personal in expressing concern for stocks that will allow our people involved in the fishery to be working in five, 10 or 15 years. I found that comment absolutely out of line.