Thank you, Mr. Chair.
It's a huge honour to be joining your committee. I've met many of you on our tour to the east coast to study the decline of the Atlantic salmon and the Atlantic cod.
I also want to thank my colleague from Port Moody-Coquitlam for his nine years sitting on this committee and the important work he's done advocating for our salmon and all of the species in our oceans.
I come here from a coastal community. I certainly understand the pressures on our oceans right now and on the species that live in them.
I want to thank retired senator Moore for bringing this forward and Senator Sinclair for continuing to pursue seeing this bill get adopted and this legislation passed.
Before I get started, Ms. Visser, I also want to acknowledge the tragedy that's happened in New Zealand. On behalf of the New Democrats, we send our condolences to all kiwis and Muslims in your country.
Maybe I will start with Senator Sinclair. This bill has had more than 17 meetings and 40 witnesses, I believe. Do you believe that this has been studied enough, that it's ready now to continue to move forward?