Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Minister, I'm going to touch on a subject that's been key to me and to my riding constituents. I've brought it to the attention of previous ministers.
Last October, the former fisheries minister committed to increasing federal resources for aquatic invasive species programs and prevention activities in British Columbia. However, the actual increase in resources delivered was approximately only $50,000 annually, shared between B.C. and the Yukon. Of the $10.1 million of ongoing funding DFO has for AIS activities nationally, about 86% is provided to fighting two species, invasive Asian carp and sea-lamprey in Ontario.
Why does DFO continue to ignore the acute ecological and economic threats posed for western Canada by aquatic invasive species? Will the minister personally ensure that British Columbia receives an equitable level of funding to fight AIS?