Yes.
Evidence of meeting #14 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 first.
A video is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #14 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 first.
A video is available from Parliament.
5:20 p.m.
Director of Operations, St’át’imc Chiefs Council
Yes, and I included today in my submission in the third paragraph the [Technical difficulty—Editor].
5:25 p.m.
Vice-President and Tribal Chief, Stolo Tribal Council
We have the [Technical difficulty—Editor].
5:25 p.m.
The Clerk
This is the clerk speaking. I don't know if anybody can hear me, but we cannot hear anyone here the room.
Mr. Chair, can you hear me?
5:30 p.m.
Liberal
5:30 p.m.
NDP
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
This is a question for Wickaninnish.
We heard in the B.C. Supreme Court case Ahousaht Nation v. Canada that the judge said that the indigenous and the local management of the fisheries was much superior to the local DFO's.
Can you talk about how systemic racism that impacts the management of fishery stocks has come into play?
5:30 p.m.
Ahousaht First Nation
Yes, very briefly. It's something that we haven't dwelt on too much in this particular discussion, even though it's alive and well.
I want to cite one of our representatives from Hesquiaht—which is part of the Tla-o-qui-aht table—who overheard two DFO officials talking about how the government has dealt with an indigenous problem, asking how it did that, and replying, “Well, they don't have any more wild stocks, and we know that they don't eat farmed fish.” They were gloating about that. These are our employees of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
We formally levelled that charge to the government in our negotiations in a press statement that really didn't get a lot of traction. However, it's real, and somebody needs to wake up and say that we can't have racism in the management of aquatic resources. I know it's alive and well, and so do many other first nations, as has been presented here on occasion.
We really don't spend a lot of time.... Nobody has stood up and said, “zero tolerance”. I ask the question: Why not? Is it because it's okay to have those policies in place that negatively impact our way of life as a people?
If I hear a resounding “no”, I'll say, “yes”, but I hear nothing.
5:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
Thank you, Gord. Your time has gone well over.
I'll thank our witnesses for their insightful testimony, both in their opening statements and in the responses to the questions. I've found it most interesting this evening, listening to it from both sides.
We'll allow the witnesses now to sign off, and we'll just do a very small bit of committee business before we say good evening for the day.
5:35 p.m.
Vice-President and Tribal Chief, Stolo Tribal Council
Thanks, everyone. Take care.
5:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
I think the witnesses have all gone.
You've all been sent a copy of the budget, which was circulated by the clerk. We need approval for this. I don't know if I can just ask. Do I have unanimous consent for the requested supplementary amount of $3,100? That's necessary to supply our witnesses with equipment. I see thumbs up all the way around. I don't see any thumbs down.
(Motion agreed to)
I'll take it that it's passed unanimously, Nancy. You can go ahead with that.
There's just one thing I want to say to the members of the committee. When we're in the questioning part of our committee meeting with witnesses, I would ask you to try to identify whom you're asking the question to. Your time is your own. You can do as you want with it. I shouldn't have to manage the time for the individuals who are asking questions. Identify whether it's John Q, or Betty B, or whoever you want to answer it. Sometimes the witnesses just stay there, looking at the screen, the same as we're doing, but nobody is saying anything. Your time is running out as nobody is speaking. Your time is getting used with no response.
Keep in mind, in the future, to try to identify whom in particular you want to answer the question. If not, as somebody said, you have dead air. Keep that in mind.
I hate jumping in and using your time to identify this witness who may have their hand up, or another witness. It's your time. You manage it how you see fit. I'll tell you when your time if up, of course, as always. I know we are a little free on it at times.
Again, thank you to everybody: the clerk, the analysts, the translators and our own individual staff, for another very insightful and interesting meeting.
Of course I wish everybody a merry Christmas and happy and safe New Year. Until we meet again, goodbye, all.
The meeting is adjourned.
