Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to both Ms. Denny and Mr. Bernard for taking the time, being here this evening on such short notice and discussing this very important situation that is before us right now. I want to simply express our appreciation to you for taking the time to come before committee and thank you for that. We appreciate your insights and look forward to hearing more from you as we work through this.
Obviously we've arrived at this situation; I don't think this is something that happened overnight. It seems like a situation that has been percolating for some time, and most recently it seems to have escalated to where we are in the current circumstance.
I think it's so important for all Canadians and for all of us to make sure that we get this right and that we do it right. It is without question and very well established the indigenous rights to fish and to have a fishery, and we want to make sure those rights are upheld and certainly are able to be carried out.
We also understand that for both indigenous and non-indigenous fisheries the conservation of the species is very important for all sectors, because we want there to be lots of lobster and fish and species and stock in the oceans for all future generations, both indigenous and non-indigenous, to enjoy and to make a livelihood from.
I appreciate your being here at the table this evening. I'd like to start off by asking both of you this. As you've seen this situation unfold most recently and build to where it's at, it appears very much that there has been, in large part, inaction on the part of the government and on the part of the minister as it relates to this situation in Nova Scotia. I would ask both of you what your thoughts would be towards what the government's response has been—and the minister's response in particular—to this situation thus far.