Evidence of meeting #11 for Fisheries and Oceans in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was season.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Bloc
Maxime Blanchette-Joncas Bloc Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
My question is for Mr. Bird.
Mr. Bird, quickly and concretely, what is the impact of the lack of funding and staff at the Department of Fisheries and Oceans on recreational fishing?
Executive Director, Sport Fishing Institute of British Columbia
I'm sorry, I heard “Mr. Burke”, and I was distracted. Could I ask you to repeat the question? My apologies.
Bloc
Maxime Blanchette-Joncas Bloc Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC
Mr. Chair, I'll take back my time, if I may.
Mr. Bird, what is the impact of the lack of funding and staff at the Department of Fisheries and Oceans on recreational fishing?
Executive Director, Sport Fishing Institute of British Columbia
I think we're seeing evidence of that right now, the lack of resources available to dedicate to making decisions in a timely fashion and to consider management of recreational fisheries properly, given the opportunity, as Martin Paish said earlier, to have a portion of the department dedicated to recreational fisheries. We do not have that now in the Pacific region, and it is badly missed. We come from a time when that did exist, and we saw things operate better and differently, so we are missing that and suffering the consequences of that now.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
Thank you, Mr. Blanchette-Joncas.
We'll now go to Mr. Johns for a one-minute question, please.
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
My question is for Mr. Paish. It's back to the same question about dedicated resources from the department for the recreational fishery. We had to go to the wall begging DFO to come to Port Alberni and out to the coast last year to even explain the closures. Can you talk about the importance of the department's coming and answering questions around science and stocks of concern when they've left the rivers and whatnot? Also, just talk about what other supports the government needs to provide, because the CEBA program is only going to carry sport fishers for so long with no season up ahead and no EI beyond the summer. Can you talk about what the government needs to do to help these fishers get through the fall and winter?
Director, Business Development, Sport Fishing Institute of British Columbia
There's a simple and quick answer to your second question, Gord, and that is, what the government needs to do is implement the SFAB proposals immediately. Those SFAB proposals are put in place to provide opportunity for small coastal communities to get involved and get back to work. That's what they're telling us they want to do.
We're moving into phase three now. We have the opportunity to take advantage of what British Columbia is calling a "staycation" rebuilding plan. They're encouraging British Columbians to take their vacations in British Columbia. That will provide the economic opportunity to get people back to work and provide the jobs they need.
We are not suggesting that we're going to get any kind of specific help like processors and commercial harvesters are. Even though we appreciate and applaud that those are necessary, we have a difficult time identifying ourselves as harvesters, but getting people on the water fishing and allowing them to retain chinook is the most important thing we can do right now. The minister has the proposal on her desk. It just needs to be implemented.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
Thank you for that, and thank you everyone for co-operating so much on that "speed round”, we'll call it.
I want to say a big thank you to our witnesses again, to Mr. Burke, Mr. Paish, Mr. Bird and Mr. Helmer, for your patience and for putting up with all the technical challenges to get this done today. Your attendance here is greatly appreciated, and your contribution is appreciated that much more.
Again, for those of you who have appeared before, we're glad to have you back and hope we'll have the opportunity to talk again real soon.
I'm going to suspend for a moment, just while we allow the witnesses to leave, and we'll do a little bit of committee business, which won't take long.
The Clerk
Mr. Chair, we do not need to suspend when the witnesses are not here in person. We can move on to the budget, if you want.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
Okay, I think our witnesses have gone off the air.
First up, of course, we have two budgets that need to be approved by committee. The first one is the briefing on the government's response to the Big Bar landslide, requesting an amount of $1,500.
Would somebody move that we approve this?
It is moved by Mr. Johns and seconded by Mr. Hardy.
All those in favour? Countermanded?
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
Mr. Chair, do we have a couple of minutes to discuss these?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
Okay. They were sent to your P9s, if you check your emails, but we can have a couple of minutes to discuss this.
Conservative
Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB
In all fairness, I think the document you're talking about just came into the inbox while we were busy talking and listening to witnesses. In fairness, Chair, perhaps we ought to be given at least a moment to consider it.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
Yes, and that's exactly what I'm saying, Mr. Calkins. You have a moment to consider it, and if you'd like to ask any questions, either to myself or to the clerk on the numbers or the estimates, by all means, please do so.
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
Mr. Chair, if I may, I have a couple of questions.
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
Thank you.
The FOPO meetings are using video conferencing. I see that there are phone lines being requested. What phone lines are required if we're doing this all by video conferencing?
Liberal
The Clerk
Yes, the committee is meeting by video conference, but the audio feed is for the staff, in order to listen to the meeting and not have the delay that comes with ParlVU. There is now a fee, and every single committee has to pay for their own lines. Regarding that fee that you see there, every single committee meeting virtually has the same fees.
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
Okay, thank you for the clarification.
One more thing is that FOPO witnesses have not been using the House of Commons issued headsets. I see that there are headsets in both budgets. Who is receiving these? Where are they going, and why are they $75?
The Clerk
That's an excellent question, and I thank you very much.
Indeed, the good news is that up to today, we could not deliver headsets, but now we do have headsets. If the committee does adopt the budget, then the committee will be in a position to call witnesses ahead of time. If they do not have proper equipment, we could deliver that, so that the meeting can be of quality. That would be free of charge for the witnesses, and it would be at a very slight expense to the committee, but it would definitely make the meetings much better.
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
Thank you for that clarification.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
You're welcome.
Again, it's been moved and seconded.
(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
