Evidence of meeting #1 for Fisheries and Oceans in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
There's one routine motion left to go. Then I have a couple of people who've raised their hand, after which I will get to Mr. Bragdon.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
The last routine motion is with regard to “Other—In Camera Meetings”: “That the committee may meet in camera only for the following purposes: (a) to consider a draft report; (b) to attend briefings concerning national security; (c) to consider lists of witnesses; (d) for any other reason with the unanimous consent of the committee, that all votes taken in camera, with the exception of votes regarding the consideration of draft reports, be recorded in the Minutes of Proceedings, including how each member voted when recorded votes are requested; that any motion to sit in camera is debatable and amendable.”
The Clerk
Perhaps I can ask Mr. Morrissey to repeat the text of the motion. I believe it's different from the text of the motion the committee voted to adopt in the previous session, in 43-1. I just want to make sure the members and I have the correct and final text of what you just said.
Would it be possible to repeat it?
October 14th, 2020 / 11:40 a.m.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
This text has been advised by PROC: “That the committee may meet in camera only for the following purposes: (a) to consider a draft report; (b) to attend briefings concerning national security; (c) to consider lists of witnesses; (d) for any other reason with the unanimous consent of the committee, that all votes taken in camera, with the exception of votes regarding the consideration of draft reports, be recorded in the Minutes of Proceedings, including how each member voted when recorded votes are requested; that any motion to sit in camera is debatable and amendable.”
Liberal
Jaime Battiste Liberal Sydney—Victoria, NS
I believe I have an amendment here: “That the committee may meet in camera only for the following purposes: (a) to consider a draft report; (b) to attend briefings concerning national security; (c) to consider lists of witnesses; (d) for any other reason with the unanimous consent of the committee, that all votes taken in camera, with the exception of votes regarding the consideration of draft reports, be recorded in the Minutes of Proceedings, including how each member voted when recorded votes are requested; that any motion to sit in camera is debatable and amendable.”
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
I believe that is exactly what Mr. Morrissey read out.
Hearing no other interventions, can we say that this one was adopted unanimously as well? Okay.
(Motion agreed to)
Liberal
Jaime Battiste Liberal Sydney—Victoria, NS
Mr. Chair, I'd like to table a motion that concerns an issue of great urgency, if I can be permitted to do so.
Bloc
Marilène Gill Bloc Manicouagan, QC
I still have routine motions to move.
I want to make two comments.
First, I would have liked to move motions that build upon the routine motions that we voted on.
Second, there's a delay in the interpretation, which is completely normal. However, we often proceed to a vote by unanimous consent before I've heard the entire discussion. I'm the only member in this situation. Perhaps the interpreters could have a little rest if we were to change the pace.
I'm feeling a bit rushed, even though I'm in agreement, as you've noticed. There was no issue this time, except with regard to an amendment to the routine motions that I was unable to move. I'll drop it, but I'd like us to change the pace, please.
Bloc
Marilène Gill Bloc Manicouagan, QC
The motion reads as follows:That in order to ensure informed decision-making when members of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans vote on a motion that permits the usage of the powers conferred on the Committee by Standing Order 108(2), each member of the Committee shall be provided with a written version in both official languages of a motion to study before a vote is held on its adoption.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
We've heard the motion from Madame Gill.
Is there any discussion?
Mr. Arnold.
Conservative
Bloc
Marilène Gill Bloc Manicouagan, QC
Yes, of course. The motion reads as follows:
That in order to ensure informed decision-making when members of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans vote on a motion that permits the usage of the powers conferred on the Committee by Standing Order 108(2), each member of the Committee shall be provided with a written version in both official languages of a motion to study before a vote is held on its adoption.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
Is there any discussion?
Hearing none, can we move forward with the motion by unanimous consent of the committee?
(Motion agreed to)
Madame Gill, I think you have another one.
Bloc
Marilène Gill Bloc Manicouagan, QC
Yes, I have another motion. It reads as follows:
That all meetings that are not required to be held in camera or that take place within the parliamentary precinct will be televised or webcast, subject to room allocations and availability of Multimedia Services.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
We've all heard the text of the motion. Is there any discussion on it?
Hearing none, can we move forward with adopting it by unanimous consent?
(Motion agreed to)
Thank you, Madame Gill.
Liberal
Jaime Battiste Liberal Sydney—Victoria, NS
Mr. Chair, I have a point of order.
I know I am jumping in, but there's something very significant going on that is of great urgency in Nova Scotia. This morning I woke to disturbing videos, first-hand accounts of videos of violence escalating between fishing groups. I saw vehicles set on fire, lobsters purposely poisoned and RCMP unable to contain an escalating mob mentality that's breaking out in our area.
It's shocking in Canada to see this. I find myself struggling as a parliamentarian, a Nova Scotian and a member of the surrounding communities to reckon with the violence and, frankly, the hatred that has bubbled to the surface in this dispute that's going on.
Not long ago I took a trip down to Saulnierville because I wanted to hear from some of the constituents of Sydney—Victoria who had gone down to show solidarity in some of the protests. I saw the divisions between the Mi’kmaq and the Acadians, historic allies who had been working together for more than 400 years.
Once I heard an amazing story from Lieutenant Governor Arthur LeBlanc, an Acadian, who talked about how his family was saved by the Mi’kmaq. It makes these acts of violence so disheartening, the way they stand in such contrast to the partnerships the communities in Nova Scotia have forged over the centuries.
Make no mistake, what we're seeing in Pubnico today is far beyond a fisheries issue. I know this. It has become a nexus for a multitude of deep-seated issues facing this country like systemic racism, the role of law enforcement, our sense of shared history and the mutual obligations of treaty rights between the Crown and indigenous partners.
These are profound issues; they're complex. Many are beyond the scope of this committee, but at the centre of this crisis is the Mi’kmaq constitutionally protected treaty rights in the pursuit of fisheries, moderate livelihood fisheries, that was not only once approved by the Supreme Court of Canada, but twice.
Many of the negotiations over institutionalizing these treaties have been carried out by the Department of Fisheries and fall under the purview of this committee. While this is only a small part of the crisis, I believe this committee, by examining the implementation of the Mi’kmaq constitutionally protected treaty rights to fish in pursuit of a moderate livelihood and evaluating the current rights and reconciliation agreement process, can play a proactive role in this ongoing situation and inform standards and practices that could prevent such a crisis from happening again.
As such, and recognizing the multitude of issues facing the committee and the demands on its time, I would like to bring forward the following motion: “That the Standing Committee of Fisheries and Oceans undertake a study to examine the implementation of the Mi’kmaq constitutionally protected treaty rights to fish in pursuit of a moderate livelihood. In order to evaluate the current rights and reconciliation agreement process and identify issues that need to be addressed and the recommended path forward, the committee call witnesses including senior officials from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, first nations, Mi’kmaq, scientists, as well as fisheries associations and interested stakeholder groups to testify before the committee; that the chair be empowered to coordinate the necessary witnesses, resources and scheduling to complete this task; and that the committee report its conclusions and recommendations to the House of Commons.”
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Liberal
Conservative
Chris d'Entremont Conservative West Nova, NS
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I want to thank Mr. Battiste for bringing this forward.
I don't know if many of you would know about the incident in Pubnico this morning. Late last night it happened about seven houses from where I grew up, and to think that this kind of incident would happen is reprehensible to me. I don't know what to call it. I don't think it's hatred, but it is a mistrust of everyone.
