Fisheries Committee on May 2nd, 2024

Evidence of meeting #108 for Fisheries and Oceans in the 44th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was fisheries.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Population Sustainability of Yukon Salmon Stocks

Plans to prevent violence during the 2024 elver fishing season

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Aaron Hill Executive Director, Watershed Watch Salmon Society

Greg Knox Executive Director, SkeenaWild Conservation Trust

Greg Taylor President, Fish First Consulting, As an Individual

Clerk of the Committee Ms. Geneviève Dubois-Richard

5:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald

Yes.

As spoken

May 2nd, 2024 / 5:10 p.m.

Liberal

Ken Hardie Liberal Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC

Is Madame Desbiens' motion amending Ms. Barron's motion?

As spoken

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald

Yes. That's what she said.

As spoken

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

Ken Hardie Liberal Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC

We have to vote on that first, don't we?

As spoken

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald

No, we don't.

As spoken

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

Ken Hardie Liberal Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC

Yes, we do.

As spoken

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald

We'll get to a vote on the subamendment first. Okay.

All right. I'll ask the clerk to do the vote on the subamendment that's been presented by Madame Desbiens.

As spoken

5:10 p.m.

NDP

Lisa Marie Barron NDP Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC

On a point of order, for clarification, do we have Madame Desbiens' subamendment? Was it circulated?

As spoken

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald

It's been sent. It's in French only.

Can we ask Madame Desbiens to read out the amendment so that the interpreters can interpret it for everybody who doesn't speak French?

As spoken

5:10 p.m.

Bloc

Caroline Desbiens Bloc Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île dOrléans—Charlevoix, QC

Of course.

I'll read it slowly.

Translated

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald

Okay. Begin when you're ready.

As spoken

5:10 p.m.

Bloc

Caroline Desbiens Bloc Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île dOrléans—Charlevoix, QC

I move to amend Ms. Barron's amendment by adding the following subamendment:

(e) that, as part of a reopening, a crisis unit be set up beforehand made up of the various intervention units concerned—

Translated

5:10 p.m.

NDP

Lisa Marie Barron NDP Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC

I'm sorry, Mr. Chair.

There's no interpretation coming through.

I can hear it now. Thank you.

As spoken

5:10 p.m.

Bloc

Caroline Desbiens Bloc Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île dOrléans—Charlevoix, QC

I will continue reading. Thank you.

(e) that, as part of a reopening, a crisis unit be set up beforehand made up of the various intervention units concerned, border agency, coast guard, public security agency, scientific representation and legal fishermen, to act not only in observation and surveillance but also to act in protection and intervention in the event of force majeure to promote a resumption of fishing that is adequate, egalitarian and ensuring increased safety;

Translated

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald

Has everybody heard the subamendment?

Shall we call the vote, Madam Clerk?

As spoken

5:10 p.m.

NDP

Lisa Marie Barron NDP Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC

I want to get clarification. Is she saying this is a group that gathers together? The interpreter is saying it's a crisis cell; I don't know what a crisis cell is. If we're talking about a group of people to come together, sure, I can agree with that.

I'm asking for clarification as to whether this is a group that's going to be formed, with professionals or people who are impacted by the elver fishery, to be able to provide an informed and local perspective.

Is that the intent of (e)?

As spoken

5:10 p.m.

Bloc

Caroline Desbiens Bloc Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île dOrléans—Charlevoix, QC

That's how I described it.

We learned from observing elvers that if we reopen the elver fishery, we know from past experience that we will be dealing with the same issue.

If we reopen the elver fishery, we need to make sure that we have a crisis unit including all those impacted by the situation—

Translated

5:10 p.m.

NDP

Lisa Marie Barron NDP Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC

It's a crisis team.

As spoken

5:10 p.m.

Bloc

Caroline Desbiens Bloc Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île dOrléans—Charlevoix, QC

—who will keep an eye on things properly, keep things safe and make it possible to respond.

So we would be taking into account the circumstances that specifically affect elvers.

There will be border officers, people from the RCMP, but also legal fishers, people from the community—

Translated

5:15 p.m.

NDP

Lisa Marie Barron NDP Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC

Okay.

As spoken

5:15 p.m.

Bloc

Caroline Desbiens Bloc Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île dOrléans—Charlevoix, QC

—a crisis unit that can step in to guide the reopening. Otherwise, there's no point in reopening. That security unit has to be there to support the reopening.

That's my position. That's why I'm moving a subamendment.

Translated

5:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald

Go ahead, Mr. Bachrach.

As spoken

5:15 p.m.

NDP

Taylor Bachrach NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC

You folks operate a bit differently here at fisheries from the other committees I sit on.

Just based on the discussion so far, I am going to ask, Mr. Chair, that you excuse the witnesses. It seems like this is going to take the remainder of the time.

As spoken

5:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald

I think that's a good suggestion, Mr. Bachrach.

Is everybody in agreement?

As spoken

5:15 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

As spoken