Evidence of meeting #60 for Fisheries and Oceans in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was rupert.
A recording is available from Parliament.
President, Chamber of Shipping of British Columbia
I guess it's your version of slow.
That's why I mentioned that it's important to establish the MPA and then develop the management plan. I don't necessarily think that is slow. It clearly says that this is an area that we care about, and then we have certain objectives in order to protect it and manage it. Then build the relationships that are important for the much longer term, that have to survive that initial regulatory framework.
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
I believe it was you, Mr. Lewis-Manning, who mentioned that the process so far has been off-balance in the consultation meetings with representation. The NGOs and environmental organizations and so on are at about an 80:20 weight against the shipping interests.
If I have the wrong person, I'd ask the right person to answer my question, please.
How are they getting there at the table, instead of our Canadian interests, I'll say?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Prince Rupert Port Authority
Well, I think they're all Canadian interests. For example, in Prince Rupert, there's one port authority, and so the port gets invited. However, there are five different first nations bands, so all five bands get invited to the table.
Right away, you have five individual groups representing the indigenous population, and then there are about three different groups that represent the fishing industry, and then the sports fishermen. Once you get all of those groups together, it's quite a different balance. It's because the organizers look to all the groups. There are a lot of non-governmental groups, environmental activist groups, first nations groups, and there are usually one or two industry representatives.
That's how it happens.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Robert Sopuck
We have a couple of minutes left. Does anybody have a quick question? No?
Well, we want to thank you very much for your testimony. You can see how interested the committee was in your testimony, and you gave extremely valuable testimony. We have extraordinarily skilled witnesses at this committee, and you certainly lived up to the standard we have, and then some. Your testimony will prove to be very useful.
With that, colleagues, I will now adjourn the meeting.