Evidence of meeting #67 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 mpas.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
Could you expand a bit on why you're making that statement, and what your definition of lower quality tends to be? Could you expand on that?
Prof. Rodolphe Devillers
The only metric I'm using to assess the quality is how much a difference it makes to the species that we're protecting. If you create an MPA to protect some species, then you can measure if the species are coming back.
In Newfoundland, for instance, we have two MPAs that I'm familiar with: Eastport and Gilbert Bay. Eastport is in Newfoundland and Gilbert Bay is in Labrador. Neither of these are doing very well. They were created about 20 years ago. Eastport is not showing a significant increase in lobster, which is what is targeted there, because it's too small and it's not necessarily at the right place. Gilbert Bay has been problematic as well because the fish go in and out of the MPA and get fished outside, something they've tried to address. Those are examples of the complexity of those processes, which also link to my statement about the importance of adaptive management, the importance of revising our measures when we have additional science.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Scott Simms
Okay. Thank you, Mr. Morrissey. Thank you to our committee.
I want to say a special thank you to, joining us by video conference, Dr. Trevor Ward. Thank you for joining us.
I want to thank, as well, Chris Sporer, joining us from Vancouver. We thank you very much.
Of course, Dr. Rodolphe Devillers, thank you so very much as well for joining us today.
We're going to break, literally for about two minutes, so that we can set up for the second part of our meeting at a quarter to.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Scott Simms
We're starting.
In the second part of our meeting, we're now discussing supplementary estimates (A). As committee members know, they have been reported back to the House of Commons. However, it is incumbent upon us to delve into the supplementary estimates (A). There will be no votes at the end as a result, but we do have an hour.
In anticipating we're a few minutes behind, with the indulgence of the committee, can I ask for a five-minute extension on unanimous consent so that we could get in our hour as scheduled?
No one disagrees. Everyone is okay. Good, so we're going to go to about 10:50 eastern time.
Mr. Doherty.
Conservative
Todd Doherty Conservative Cariboo—Prince George, BC
I just want to speak on a point of order, Mr. Chair.
With all due respect to the parliamentary secretary with us here today for the supplementary estimates, I'd like to voice my disappointment, our disappointment, that the minister's not here to defend the estimates himself. I know we're on record on this previously. I know that this committee has allowed the parliamentary secretary to join the minister at this committee for important meetings in the past, such as main and supplementary estimates. That was fine because the minister answered the questions. I did not realize that this was an intentional transition to have the parliamentary secretary represent the minister and the department at the committee at every opportunity. The fact is that the parliamentary secretary is not the one making the final decisions—
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Scott Simms
No. Respect received, and thank you, but I'm still trying to seek a point of order here. Does it have something to do with the Standing Orders?
Conservative
Todd Doherty Conservative Cariboo—Prince George, BC
Mr. Chair, the fact is that the parliamentary secretary's not the one making the final decisions. He's not in on every briefing, and probably is not being fully briefed on the reasons why decisions are made.
Conservative
Todd Doherty Conservative Cariboo—Prince George, BC
I'll get to that, Mr. Chair.
He probably is not fully briefed on the reasons why decisions are made and why certain things are in the supplementary estimates. We asked for an emergency meeting on a number of important issues last week, such as the cuts to the Manitoba coast guard, the B.C. dive team, and the educational and restoration programs. The government denied us that opportunity, and now instead we have the minister's representatives here for just one hour on those topics, as well as on those topics, as well as supplementary estimates—
Conservative
Todd Doherty Conservative Cariboo—Prince George, BC
I'm getting to that, Mr. Chair, with all due respect.
This makes it quite difficult to hold the government to account. Mr. Chair, I've asked my colleagues, and nobody seems to recall the parliamentary secretary ever representing the minister for something as important as the estimates in the last Parliament. Perhaps we could have the clerk look into the precedence for this for the fisheries committee and let us know if this is common for FOPO—
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Scott Simms
Mr. Doherty, these are concerns you have to make during your presentation or during your time for questioning. You didn't mention one standing order. Is there a number? Can you give me a number within the Standing Orders?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Scott Simms
We'd like to welcome our guests here today. We're doing supplementary (A)s, as you know, but there's a great deal of flexibility with that as well.
I'd like to welcome, from DFO, Catherine Blewett, deputy minister; Philippe Morel, acting senior assistant deputy minister, ecosystems and fisheries management; and Tony Matson, assistant deputy minister and chief financial officer. Last but not least, I'd like to welcome someone who has probably logged as much time here as maybe Trevor Swerdfager, and that is Jeffery Hutchinson, commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard. We've almost gone to that level.
I think you're doing the presentation, Mr. Beech, is that correct? Okay.
Terry Beech is the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard and the member for Burnaby North—Seymour.
You have 10 minutes or less, sir.
Terry Beech LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries
Good morning, everyone. Thank you for having me. It's a pleasure to be here.
I'd like to start by thanking everyone on this committee for their hard work and for the relationship that we've been able to develop over the last number of months. Everybody on all sides has been very good about making sure that not only your riding issues are brought to the floor but also that we can work together on issues that affect the whole country. It has been a very positive relationship and I've enjoyed it greatly, so thank you.
Since the chair already introduced the staff, I'm going to move past that, but just know that there is a small army here as well, so if you have any specific details that you'd like to get into, we're well suited to get into the fine details.
I am here today to discuss the supplementary estimates (A). Specifically Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard are seeking Parliament's approval on $359.4 million for the following items: $166.7 million to maintain mission-critical services to Canadians, $145.5 million for the oceans protection plan, $32.2 million for the renewal of the Atlantic and Pacific commercial fisheries initiative, and $15 million to support negotiations on fisheries and marine matters.
Today, on behalf of the minister—and Minister LeBlanc sends his regrets for not being here today—I am pleased to share that our government has invested approximately $3 billion into the core operations for Fisheries and Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard through budget 2016, budget 2017, the oceans protection plan, and following a comprehensive program review. With these investments, Canadians will soon see a noticeable difference in the services they receive from Fisheries and Oceans and the Coast Guard. These important investments will improve the scientific evidence that decisions are based on, modernize aging infrastructure and IT capacity, renew efforts to restore habitat and rebuild depleting fish stocks, expand marine conservation and protection measures, create safer waterways for marine navigation, speed up response time for search and rescue missions, and strengthen our environmental response capacity.
These new resources will do more than just replace programs that have been lost in years past, as our oceans today face new threats with climate change, including flooding, droughts, and severe weather storms on every coast.
Our economy depends on safe navigation through waterways and ports that are busier than ever before. Our government has new priorities pertaining to reconciliation with Canada's indigenous people, working with municipal and provincial partners, and becoming global leaders in sustainable development.
The new investments will help DFO and the Coast Guard build the programs and services that Canadians need into the future. We know how much Canadians value DFO and Coast Guard programs. We understand how important these services are to Canadians. On the minister's behalf, I want to assure you that we are committed to maintaining those services related to Coast Guard's presence in inland waterways, that the Coast Guard dive team will remain at the Sea Island base, and that all elements of the salmon enhancement program will continue.
With significant, new investments in DFO and the Coast Guard, we will, in fact, be enhancing search and rescue services on all coasts and working with community partners on a number of ecosystem restoration projects. As you know, there are more demands on Canada's oceans and coastal areas than ever before. It is therefore vital that Canada have a plan in place that protects our oceans in a modern and advanced way and that ensures environmental sustainability, safe and responsible commercial use, and collaboration with coastal indigenous communities.
In order to meet these objectives, Prime Minister Trudeau announced a $1.5-billion national oceans protection plan last fall. I'm pleased to report that DFO, the Coast Guard, and other federal partners are making steady progress on key elements of this plan. For example, from a Coast Guard perspective, we are increasing search and rescue capabilities by investing in seven new lifeboat stations, four in British Columbia and three in Newfoundland and Labrador. A 24-hours a day, seven days a week emergency coordination capacity has been created within existing regional operation centres in Victoria, Montreal, and St. John's, complementing the new 24-7 emergency coordination capacity with the national command centre in Ottawa.
We are purchasing and installing emergency tow kits on 25 of the CCG's large vessels and leasing two new vessels on the west coast with the ability to tow large commercial ships and tankers.
We are creating four primary environmental response teams, which will strengthen the Coast Guard's on-scene capacity during marine pollution incidents. We are partnering with the Coast Guard Auxiliary to expand its network of over 400 search and rescue volunteers who engage in environmental response. We are also partnering with indigenous groups, coastal communities, and the private sector to ensure a faster and more efficient response to marine pollution incidents.
We are strengthening the Coast Guard's marine communications and traffic services centres to ensure uninterrupted communications with mariners.
The Canadian Coast Guard's efforts to deal with abandoned, derelict, and wrecked vessels, such as the ongoing operations related to the Kathryn Spirit and the upcoming work to be done to the Farley Mowat, speak to the organization's commitment, and that of its partners, to ensuring that such vessels of concern don't pose immediate risks to public safety or the marine environment.
This level of commitment will be enhanced by the oceans protection plan. Our government will continue to work in collaboration with provincial, territorial, municipal, and indigenous organizations to support the cleanup of smaller vessels that could potentially pose risks to Canadian coastal communities, while implementing a robust polluter-pay approach for future vessel cleanups.
In addition to this work, we have created a national, $75-million coastal restoration fund, which will be used for the preservation, protection, and restoration of marine environments and coastal habitat over the next five years. DFO scientists are undertaking a science-based review of three endangered whale species in Canada: the North Atlantic right whale, the St. Lawrence estuary beluga, and the southern resident killer whale. Online public engagement will be available soon. Harbour authorities, along with other eligible recipients, will have access to $1.3 million under DFO's small craft harbours program for the removal and disposal of abandoned and wrecked vessels from federally owned commercial fishing harbours.
Our government is committed to the long-term health of our oceans. In order to deliver on the minister's key priorities and commitments, a historic $1.4 billion is being invested in DFO and the Coast Guard over the next five years. Just to be clear, that is on top of the oceans protection plan. This will help shore up a number of key program areas, including an aging Coast Guard fleet; a wide range of communication towers, buoys, and maritime radars; search and rescue training; sustainable fisheries; conservation and protection activities; and the physical infrastructure and information technology the department needs to carry out its mandate.
The latest investment in DFO and the Coast Guard will also provide the resources required to support sustainable fisheries management, which includes the development and update of integrated fisheries management plans, or IFMPs. This will help address some of the concerns that were expressed by members of this committee and by the Auditor General. It will enhance DFO's capacity for conservation and protection, while investments in infrastructure and information technology will give employees the facilities and tools they need to do their jobs.
Before closing, I want to mention that the historic investments being made across DFO and the Coast Guard will result in the hiring of approximately 900 new staff, who will help deliver our ambitious mandate. DFO is working hard to accommodate this growing workforce.
Mr. Chair, this year Canada is celebrating its 150th birthday, but this is also a milestone year for Fisheries and Oceans Canada, whose heritage dates back to Confederation. While steeped in history, DFO is at the forefront of shaping Canada's domestic and global responses to very modem challenges. The historic investments I spoke about today will help ensure that Canada remains a world leader in all matters related to our oceans.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Scott Simms
Thank you, Mr. Beech.
We'll now go to our questions. We're going to start with Mr. Hardie, for seven minutes, please.
Liberal
Ken Hardie Liberal Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, everybody, for being here.
I want to give the parliamentary secretary an opportunity to make abundantly clear a couple of points with a simple yes or no answer, to be followed by an open-ended question in which he would be free to refer to his colleagues for additional comments and background.
I want to start with the metro Vancouver dive team. There was a rationale suggesting that this team, which is the only team in the area that's able to go in and rescue people from sunken cars or vessels, could be replaced if the RCMP or the Vancouver Police Department, both of whom have dive teams, was able to take on this additional function. I had also been assured that this dive team would remain in place until such time as those other teams could take on this work. We have now heard that they have no interest in doing so.
Will the metro Vancouver dive team remain in place, yes or no?
Liberal
Terry Beech Liberal Burnaby North—Seymour, BC
Thank you very much for the question. I know you want a yes or no answer. Yes, it is clear. I'll state it as clearly as I possibly can: the dive team is going to stay in place. There are no cuts.
Liberal
Ken Hardie Liberal Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC
Thank you.
On the Coast Guard stations, I've had the opportunity to boat and fish on both Lake Winnipeg and Lake of the Woods. Lake of the Woods has a lot of tourists, a lot of people, a lot of boats, a lot of islands, and a lot of opportunities to get in trouble. Lake Winnipeg, as has been pointed out here by folks who've lived closer to it than I have over the years, is a shallow lake and extremely treacherous. Just last week the Coast Guard from Gimli had to go out and rescue some folks.
Removing the Coast Guard stations from those inland waters would clearly heighten the risk people face out on those two lakes. Again, yes or no, will the Coast Guard stations remain in place in Gimli, Selkirk, and Kenora?