Fisheries Committee on Nov. 25th, 2020

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

I think we should proceed with the meeting, certainly in light of the concerns from our last meeting where many committee members were urging the committee to move on to its next study. I would like to have some more time on the current one. If time is of the essence, let's take advantage of every second of it.

I think this is an economic update. It's not a budget, which normally has everyone in the House. If people feel strongly about it, they could always sub out and go to the other event instead, should they choose to.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Does anybody else want to speak to it?

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

I agree with Mr. Williamson. If somebody wanted to follow the economic statement, they could sub out.

We want to wrap this up. We've been hearing very good testimony from witnesses, and we do have to move on to the salmon one.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Mr. Johns, you had your hand up.

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

Yes. Is there any chance we can schedule the FOPO meeting a little bit later and that way we could have a chance to hear the opening at least? It's at four o'clock. It's just that a lot of us are carrying many critical files, so it's important to be present, or at least understand—

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Okay. I'll ask Nancy what the schedule looks like on Monday, Mr. Johns. She will probably be able to give us some information on that.

[The Clerk]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I am looking at the calendar and, if I'm not mistaken, after Monday's meetings, two committees are meeting after us. The Special Committee on Canada-China Relations and another one. Normally, when votes are held, the committee has the right to extend its meeting a little bit and the others start theirs shortly after that. However, for something other than votes, I believe the agreement is to vacate the room for other committees.

I will look into it.

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

We're okay. We're with everyone then.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Okay, so hearing nothing else, we'll say that the committee will go ahead on Monday as per normal.

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Good.

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

I saw Ms. Gill had her hand up in the participant line.

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Manicouagan, QC]

Yes, I had raised my hand.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Mrs. Gill, you have the floor.

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Manicouagan, QC]

Yes, I did want to speak, but since I agreed with the solution, I lowered my hand.

Mr. Chair, I'd like to know if I can always raise my hand on the side. If not, I will raise it on-screen if I want to be heard.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Either works for me.

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Manicouagan, QC]

Perfect.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

It's just that I didn't have the participants up at that particular time, but I do now.

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Manicouagan, QC]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

In the restarting of the Pacific salmon, we need to establish how many more meetings we need to have with witnesses. Of course as I mentioned two days ago, the House calendar ends on December 11 with regard to our committee. That leaves us Monday's meeting, which is November 30. We then have Wednesday, December 2; Monday, December 7 and Wednesday, December 9. We actually have four meetings.

We need to know if we want one more full meeting to finish up the witnesses on the moderate livelihood. We put one more meeting towards that, so we'll do that on Monday, November 30 if we can get witnesses to agree to come.

Then we have three meetings left. Are we going to do our drafting instructions for the moderate livelihood study, or will we just go into salmon for the last three meetings?

Seeing no comment, I guess we'll leave it up to the chair to decide and notify you accordingly as to what we'll do.

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

I see people actually nodding to that, and thumbs up. Okay. I'm in charge. That's wonderful.

I'll discuss that with the clerk.

As well, if we're going to start the Pacific salmon study, we need to set a deadline for witnesses for that particular study. I believe Nancy has issued an outline of witnesses and whatnot for the Pacific salmon Big Bar study. Does everybody have their copy of that?

We have to know when to start. If we wait until Monday, December 7, that means that on Wednesday, December 2 we could deal with clearing up the drafting instructions.

No? Okay. Then we will start that on the Monday.

All right. We'll start with witnesses for Wednesday, December 2, so we need a very quick deadline in order to get those witnesses presented to the clerk. What if I say 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on Friday this week, November 27? Is everybody okay with finishing up with the witnesses for the Pacific salmon on Friday, November 27?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Other than that, is there any other business anybody wants to raise? I didn't think this was going to go as quickly and as smoothly.

Madam Gill.

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Manicouagan, QC]

Mr. Chair, forgive me, sometimes I have trouble keeping up due to the time lag. Were you hearing all the motions? If we have reached the one about seals, great.

I'm ready to present it. Did you want me to do it now?