Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I hope we can proceed in a better way, all of us. I hope we can learn from this. Certainly, I have, a lot.
Mr. Chair, several weeks ago, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans said it would be reinterpreting the regulations and defining what “readily accessible” means when it comes to frozen-at-sea spot prawns. All our offices in B.C. and perhaps everyone here heard from thousands of concerned constituents about how this would impact regional economies and the prawn industry in B.C. and Canada.
DFO has said it's looking at awareness this year. It didn't resolve the problem, and we want to hear from the department and stakeholders on this, on how it will impact them next year and in the future, so I'm moving:
That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee undertake a study of at least two meetings to understand the impact of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans re-interpretation of the Fisheries Act regulations affecting frozen-at-sea spot prawns; that the committee call witnesses including senior department officials from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and interested stakeholder groups to testify; and that the committee report its conclusions and recommendations to the House.
I don't believe we need to undertake a long study, and two two-hour meetings would be sufficient to hear from witnesses on this.