I was actually appalled, Ms. Hendriks, at your testimony when you so blithely dismissed fisheries. You called it “just fisheries” as if the people who fish or depend on those fisheries really don't count.
I should make a point. In your testimony, you were mistaken when you said this new Fisheries Act only applies to commercial fishing. It was specifically directed to aboriginal, recreational and commercial fisheries, so I would recommend you do your research.
One thing I was quite shocked about in your testimony was on page 3, where you said you want to have “safeguards to remove the absolute discretionary power of the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans in fisheries management decision-making.” Are you saying that fisheries management decisions should be decided by unelected officials, and fishermen and fishing communities should have no access or recourse to a decision that a fisheries agency may make?
I would suspect that the fishing communities, especially in Mr. McDonald's constituency, would be very concerned if they had no recourse to deal with a decision that a fisheries agency had made and had no elected official to finally deal with. Are you really saying that the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans should be removed from fisheries management decision-making? That's what your testimony says. It's quite clear on page 3.