Fisheries Committee on April 19th, 2016

[Wayne Stetski, NDP, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

As you know, our preference would be to keep it open.

Turning to the Fisheries Act, albeit it's an old act, but it's a very important one for the environment. I was the regional manager for fish and wildlife for southeastern B.C., and it was a sad day when we saw the back of the last DFO staff leaving our region.

The act is really important. Particularly, will you restore the habitat protection provisions, HADD, that were gutted by the previous government—they were—referring specifically to the restoration of section 35 of the Fisheries Act?

[Hunter Tootoo, Liberal, Nunavut, NU]

Thank you. I think my mandate letter is pretty clear, to restore lost protections. I'm sure once we decide on the process of how that review will be conducted, I'm quite confident that through that review process this is something that will be mentioned over and over again. I'm committed, and I've been mandated by the Prime Minister to bring back those lost protections. We'll do that in the best way possible.

[Wayne Stetski, NDP, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

Perhaps you could keep an eye particularly on section 35 and bring it back.

Last month the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union sent the minister a letter outlining the dire situation facing west coast fishery workers. They say the bulk of the profits from west coast commercial fisheries are going to quota and licence-holders, and one large processor. As the outsourcing of nearly 500 family-supporting jobs in the Prince Rupert plant shows, corporate consolidation of licences and quotas has threatened the livelihood of small-boat independent fish harvesters. The letter asks the minister to strike an independent panel to travel to B.C. coastal communities to talk with the communities, commercial fishers, and plant workers, and develop a made-in-B.C. solution.

Do you intend to do that?

[Hunter Tootoo, Liberal, Nunavut, NU]

I haven't seen that letter yet, but when I do see it, I will be having a close look at it. I'm not going to commit to anything until I see what the letter actually asks.

[Wayne Stetski, NDP, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

That's fair enough.

When will the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency review process be properly revised so that major energy and other projects are reviewed using a climate lens?

[Hunter Tootoo, Liberal, Nunavut, NU]

We both know that this process falls under Environment and Climate Change. I am sure Minister McKenna, just like me in my mandate to review the Fisheries Act, is working.... Our officials are working together to figure out the best way forward to conduct that review and get it done. I am hoping that some road map for that will be unveiled by the summer.

[Wayne Stetski, NDP, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

As you know, climate change certainly affects fish seriously.

[Hunter Tootoo, Liberal, Nunavut, NU]

I know.

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

Thank you, Mr. Stetski.

Now we will go over to the government side.

Mrs. Jordan, you have seven minutes, please.

[Bernadette Jordan, Liberal, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Thank you for being here today, Minister.

I want to focus my questions on three specific areas. I'll start with small craft harbours—as you know, that is extremely important to us, on the south shore of Nova Scotia—and the increase in funding of $149 million.

My question is—and my colleague alluded to it earlier—how is that money going to be allocated? Are there any plans for long-term strategic planning for the development of small craft harbours? Sometimes we do things on an emergency basis, and I think long-term planning might be a better way to go. I am wondering if there is any thought given to how that money is going to be allocated in the future.

[Hunter Tootoo, Liberal, Nunavut, NU]

I know my officials are currently finalizing a small craft harbour project list for the 2016-17 fiscal year. Thanks to the additional $148.6 million in new funding received under our budget this year, for the next two years, we will be able to make a lot more people happy and do more of the much-needed projects this coming year. Funding priority is given to safety-related projects at the core fishing harbours, to address things like rust-out and improving the operations and conditions of the harbour. Projects at core fishing harbours are selected based on the following criteria: safety or risk management, functional need, harbour activity and—here we go—long-term plans, economic benefit, and the state of preparedness of the project.

These projects are carried out across the country, with the majority in the Atlantic provinces, where there are more of them. I think about 70% of the harbours are located out there.

[Bernadette Jordan, Liberal, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

You mentioned the shipwreck off Newfoundland. Abandoned and derelict vessels are a huge concern for coastal communities. Currently, the only recourse the government has to deal with them is if they are an environmental hazard or block navigable waters. There needs to be more done in terms of what we can do with these vessels that are just being left. I wonder if you have any thoughts on further action by DFO with regard to the problem we have with over 600 derelict and abandoned vessels in Canada right now.

[Hunter Tootoo, Liberal, Nunavut, NU]

I have been asked a few times in the House about the St. Catharines piers, for example. We know that there is an issue out there. The Coast Guard will deal with wrecks and derelict or abandoned vessels where there is a pollution risk coming from it. Transport Canada will deal with it if it is posing a hazard to safe navigation. The system we have here in Canada is based on the “pollutor pay” principle. To be able to deal with it, we work in collaboration with our federal and local partners to hold these negligent vessel owners accountable to the full extent of the law. Having said that, I think our officials are sitting down and looking at how we can improve on that process or things that may be missing. These are things that we are discussing at an officials level right now between the Coast Guard and Transport Canada.

[Bernadette Jordan, Liberal, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

My final question is on MPAs and your mandate letter on marine protected areas. When the staff were in earlier for meetings, I believe it was suggested that it was both “exciting and terrifying”—I think those were the words they used—because of the mandate to get to the 10% in the next couple of years.

I know this is something that has to be done in co-operation with the Minister of Environment as well as your department. How do you see the MPA process going forward, particularly with regard to your department?

[Hunter Tootoo, Liberal, Nunavut, NU]

Well, yes, I think it is both exciting and terrifying. Again, that's something I've discussed with all stakeholders who deal with the water and our oceans, whether it be fisheries, environmental groups, oil and gas, and all the provinces and territories reps I've met with.

One thing that I was very happy to hear is that all across the board everyone is supportive of us reaching our targets, and they are committed to working with us to help us achieve those targets. To me, that was very exciting, because usually when you get all these different groups sitting around the table they disagree on certain things. It was nice to see that here's something where there is some common ground from all sides. It was nice compared to some of the other discussions I've had with them on other issues.

Together with the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, we're developing a plan on how to achieve this. I've said all along that these are very ambitious targets. We're hoping to be able to launch within the next three to four weeks how that's going to unfold, if not sooner.

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

We are now into our five-minute round.

Mr. Arnold, you have the floor for five minutes, please.

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Thank you, Minister, for being here today along with your staff. It's good to see you.

I've noticed that you obviously wear your seal tie very proudly everywhere you go. I'm wondering if you support the seal harvest in your area especially. Do you support it elsewhere in the country?

Is there cabinet support for the seal hunt in other parts of the country, especially if it has a significant effect on overall fisheries management, such as salmon and cod stocks?

[Hunter Tootoo, Liberal, Nunavut, NU]

Absolutely. I've met with the sealing industry, the seal harvesters from Newfoundland and Quebec and the Magdalen Islands. I've committed to them that we as a government do support a sustainable, humane, and well-regulated seal harvest. You used the word “hunt”. When my staff says that, I always say no, it's not a hunt. It's a harvest.

This is an industry that's taken quite a hit over last number of decades, thanks to market blockages to the EU. We were able to negotiate an indigenous exemption, so that through our market certification program we'll be able to import those products into the EU. In my meetings, I've talked with other stakeholders in southern Canada and have said that we want to do what we can to try to maximize on that exemption.

I met with the folks from Quebec two to three weeks ago. They said that one of the things they've come to realize is that the sealing industry is not a huge industry, and that they're kind of going at each other, trying to take the other guy down and get their market. They've told me that they realize they're small enough that they need to work together to try to expand the industry and market access in different parts of the world. That's something that I've committed to work with them on.

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

I also come from a hunting background so I too have learned to switch the terminology over to a “harvest”.

I'm also wondering about the west coast. Seal predation on some of the salmon stocks has been noted as having a significant impact. There, we'd have to look more at a seal cull. Would you support that if it's sustainable, as part of the scientific management of the overall fisheries resource?

[Hunter Tootoo, Liberal, Nunavut, NU]

I think that before any decision is made on any species, the science would have to be done to make that determination. If the science says that there is an issue that we need to deal with then we'll look at the best way to deal with that issue. Without the science to show and tell us exactly what the problem is and what the facts are, it would be premature for me to declare myself one way or the other. But it's based on science. We've committed to reinvest in science. Hopefully we can work, not just with DFO officials, but also with the Pacific Salmon Foundation, with whom I've had discussions to look at ways we can partner on science so that we can have a broader base to draw from in order to make more sound decisions.

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

The marine protected areas are becoming a forefront issue. Do you have any direction so far as to what might be included or excluded as acceptable uses or activities within these marine protected areas?

[Hunter Tootoo, Liberal, Nunavut, NU]

In my travels, I've heard that from just about everybody. As I said, I've been very impressed with the expertise, enthusiasm, and contributions that everyone is bringing to the table on this.

I think right now we're advancing five areas of interest for designation, including Hecate Strait, Queen Charlotte Sound, and glass sponge reefs in the Pacific. There is also one up in the Beaufort Sea, and another in Paulatuk, I believe, both of which will hopefully be established this year.

We're also looking at St. Anns Bank, the Laurentian Channel, and the American Bank, all in Atlantic Canada, which are expected to follow the following year.

We're early on in the pre-consultation stages with the different jurisdictions to look at where we go next. Again, I've committed to everybody that it's not going to be done behind closed doors or without consultation. It's going to be done in an open and transparent manner, in consultation with stakeholders.

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

Thank you, Minister.

We're now going to Mr. Hardie, for five minutes.

[Ken Hardie, Liberal, Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC]

Mr. Minister, it's interesting to hear you refer to some of your transactions as exciting and terrifying. I'm sure that visits to the west coast probably fall into that category because, of course, we have a very active advocacy group out there, or rather, groups. There are many of them.

First, I have a quick question on the Kitsilano Coast Guard. We're reopening it. That was a rock-star announcement, to be sure. Will the base also have spill response capabilities?

[Hunter Tootoo, Liberal, Nunavut, NU]

Absolutely, it will.