Evidence of meeting #13 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 need.
A recording is available from Parliament.
1:25 p.m.
Green
Elizabeth May Green Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC
I am the beneficiary of such generosity today.
Quickly, I will go to the question of the wild salmon policy. I want to go back to Aaron Hill because he raised it.
We got the wild salmon policy, if memory serves, in 2005. Can you account for why we're still talking about implementing it?
1:25 p.m.
Executive Director, Watershed Watch Salmon Society
That's a very good question. I think part of the problem is that there have been some resource issues. As Dr. Walters and others mentioned, we need to actually be counting fish to know what we have in order to implement strategy one, which is assessing the status of the population.
Then, as others mentioned—Mr. Hwang, I think—there's a lack of accountability within the department in terms of having somebody who's in charge of implementing it. It was a recommendation by Justice Cohen to have somebody actually in charge of implementing the wild salmon policy, and that hasn't happened.
Then, I think, the thing is just that by implementing the wild salmon policy, the department would be actually accountable to a number of pretty big management shifts, and I think there's a large resistance within the department to letting go of their status quo. That's a problem as well.
1:25 p.m.
Green
Elizabeth May Green Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC
If I still have time, I want to turn to you, Mr. Hwang, because I haven't asked you any questions yet, and your perspective on the three Hs struck me as very good advice. With those three Hs, is any one more important than the others?
1:30 p.m.
Vice-President, Pacific Salmon Foundation
No. It's like saying, “What's the most important thing for human health? Do I need water, air or food?” You're not whole and you're not healthy unless you have it all.
1:30 p.m.
Green
Elizabeth May Green Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC
I think that's probably my time. I really appreciate it. Thank you.
1:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
Thank you, Ms. May.
We'll now go to Mr. Johns, for two and a half minutes or less, please.
1:30 p.m.
NDP
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
I have a question for Mr. Hill.
Mr. Hill, your organization has done some really important work in highlighting the importance of green infrastructure because of the impacts of infrastructure development on our salmon stocks. Can you speak about how that's being overlooked, the need to invest in it and the sense of urgency around that?
1:30 p.m.
Executive Director, Watershed Watch Salmon Society
Yes, I think there's general agreement whenever we talk to members of Parliament and to government that we need to move forward with green infrastructure and habitat restoration, like the flood control example, where we can have our cake and eat it too. We can have flood protection for our communities and we can open up salmon habitat.
The problem is that there's jurisdictional complexity. There are people who are stuck in the old way of doing things. That's why we need federal leadership to make these things a priority and move it forward. There's siloing between different departments and different ministries that needs to be resolved through that high-level federal leadership.
1:30 p.m.
NDP
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
Thank you.
Mr. Zeman, you talked about some of the gaps in DFO's communicating with stakeholders. Can you give a grade? How do you feel DFO is doing in terms of consultation, reporting to stakeholders and listening to stakeholders on their work with regard to wild salmon?
1:30 p.m.
Director of Fish and Wildlife Restoration, BC Wildlife Federation
If I had to give a grade, it would be an F.
1:30 p.m.
NDP
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
Okay, thanks. Can you cite some opportunities for DFO to change that?
1:30 p.m.
Director of Fish and Wildlife Restoration, BC Wildlife Federation
Yes, absolutely.
When we talk in the wildlife world provincially, if I want to know something about endangered mountain caribou, grizzly bears or anything, I can pick up the phone, send an email, or get a hold of someone and they will send me what they have. When we call the department, we are told, “Sorry, you have to ATIP that—I can't provide that because I'll get into trouble.”
In terms of this business of hidden data, even with this recovery potential assessment document that went through the peer review process, the public can't even see that. The public paid for that. It went through a rigorous scientific process, and the department refuses to list it. We're talking about fish that have gone from thousands down to 62 and 134, and the department cannot even show what the scientists said. I mean, it's unbelievable that this is happening in Canada.
1:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
Thank you, sir.
Thank you, Mr. Johns. Your time has gone over.
That ends our question round. We now have to suspend, leave the meeting and come back for an in camera session for some drafting instructions for our analysts. I'll ask everybody to sign off and then sign back on again with the new information and new password so we can continue.
I'll say a big thank you to our guests today. Hopefully, it was informative for everybody. Maybe we'll hear from you again soon. If there's anything you didn't get to present, by all means please send it to the committee in writing. Thank you.
[Proceedings continue in camera]