Fisheries Committee on Oct. 30th, 2018

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Thank you.

Aquatic invasive species have been a long-time concern for me, particularly in our interior water systems, especially those that are so important to our salmon stocks. These typically those inland rivers and water systems that sustain our sockeye, the big chinook, and our coho. Those are of course feed species for southern resident killer whales.

As such, Mr. Chair, I'd like to introduce a motion:

That, whereas indigenous recreational and commercial fisheries are highly valued in Canada and whereas invasive species pose a significant threat to native aquatic species, such as salmon, whales, and the habitats that sustain them, and whereas invasive species pose a significant threat to ecosystems, the environment, and economies, I move that the Committee undertake a study to examine the aquatic invasive species component of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans oceans protection program and the objectives of examining the AIS resources and mandate to assess: a) DFO's resources dedicated to preventing and eliminating aquatic invasive species and b) whether such resources are distributed across Canada in an equitable and consistent manner and whether the AIS program has the resources required to be effective in its mandate.

[The Chair]

Thank you, Mr. Arnold.

Are there any questions?

[Pat Finnigan, Liberal, Miramichi—Grand Lake, NB]

Will we have a vote on that motion?

[The Chair]

Yes. I'm asking if there's any debate.

[Pat Finnigan, Liberal, Miramichi—Grand Lake, NB]

Can we have a copy of that motion?

[The Chair]

I think we circulated it.

[Pat Finnigan, Liberal, Miramichi—Grand Lake, NB]

Mr. Chair, I have a point of order. I think every time a motion is presented in this room—I've said it before—it should be done in both official languages, with respect to our government and the way we do things. I ask that in the future, out of respect, we would distribute these motions in both official languages. Thank you.

[The Chair]

We noticed.

Is there any other discussion on the motion?

All those in favour—

[Fin Donnelly, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Chair, you were asking for input or questions.

[The Chair]

I was, but nobody had their hand up.

[Fin Donnelly, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

You weren't looking over here.

[The Chair]

I didn't look your way. I apologize, Mr. Donnelly.

[Fin Donnelly, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

No worries. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

I don't have any problem with the content; the question is just on the process.

Maybe, Mr. Arnold, you could speak to how long you think the study should be and when you think this should happen. Is there any priority there, or is it just for the committee to determine date and length?

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

I think because of the urgency that is developing around aquatic invasive species that this should be a priority for the committee. The subcommittee could have a meeting to decide on when to proceed with this study.

We see it with threats to the whales and their feed species and so on. I don't think it's something that should be delayed and put off. Whatever the urgency, the subcommittee could come back to the main committee with a recommendation.

[The Chair]

Is everyone ready to vote?

(Motion agreed to)

That is carried unanimously. Thank you.

On Mr. Finnigan's comment, I would ask that when introducing a motion in the future, people be respectful to have it in both official languages for the members of the committee. Even though I know it's not required, it would be appreciated if everyone could do that.

Go ahead.

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

With respect to the committee, I apologize for not having it in both official languages today. I didn't expect the opportunity to present it today.

[The Chair]

We'll continue on with your questioning. You have just over four minutes.

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

I will pass the remaining minutes of my time to Mr. Doherty.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Mr. Michaud, I will speak in English.

You mentioned that there is research or collaboration or consultation going on now with the government that includes research, academia and NGOs. In your comments, you didn't mention industry or stakeholders. Are they not being involved in this consultation?

[Robert Michaud]

Indeed they are. I mentioned the existence of a group that we call G2T3M, which was set in place about five years ago to explore solutions to reduce the risk of collision, and this has been an amazingly efficient working group. In my comments I stated the existence of that group as an example of how conservation could be conducted.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Okay. I'm sorry. I missed that.

[Robert Michaud]

I was saying that on that committee for following the research and conservation issues, academia and NGOs and DFO scientists, or governmental scientists, should join in a purely research and conservation working table to examine and follow up on the priorities, as it is done under COSEWIC, or COSEPAC in French.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Great. Thank you.

Mr. Barrett-Lennard, I have a question for you and others, if they want to quickly add their comments.

Are you aware of any assessments of the impacts or potential impacts of underwater sonar systems operations on southern resident killer whales?

[Dr. Lance Barrett-Lennard]

No, not specifically on the southern resident killer whale.

Fortunately, in the inner water of their critical habitat as recognized both in the U.S. and Canadian waters, there are no seismic operations, which, like sonar, have a potential impact on the animals. There's no exploration for hydrocarbons in those particular areas. We're more concerned about what the animals may face when they're out off the west coast of Vancouver Island and the west coast of Washington and extending up into Alaska. Certainly in those areas they have potential to encounter military sonar and sounds from seismic operations, and those are of concern but not actively being investigated as impacts on that population.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Thank you.

Mr. Chair, I'd like to see if we can get consensus around the table for the CFB Esquimalt personnel to provide a written response to questions from our committee before our November 1 meeting, where we'll issue drafting instructions for M-154. We submitted our witnesses, including CFB Esquimalt, on October 5. Unfortunately, on October 29 we were called and told that because of the short notice, the CFB Esquimalt folks couldn't appear.

I believe it's important to have representatives from all sources on that point and I think that our CFB Esquimalt forces would have good comments on it, so I'd like to ask if we can draft a letter to them—obviously, from the committee—and seek a response from them before our November 1 meeting.