Fisheries Committee on March 22nd, 2022

[Bob Zimmer, Conservative, Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC]

I hope it all develops into a better relationship in the future.

Thanks.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

We'll now go to Mr. Morrissey, for five minutes or less, please.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Thank you, Chair.

My question is for Miss Gower.

You're a biologist in habitat restoration. Could you expand a bit on the necessity of building back? You mentioned building back better and fish-friendly infrastructure. To do that you need clear federal guidance with strong support from DFO.

Could you explain or expand to the committee on exactly what you would like this report to direct in reference to this area?

[Tanis Gower]

Yes, that is the key take-away from my testimony.

We're seeing major and unprecedented investment in B.C.'s flood control. To build back better, we need some thought and direction and, most importantly, federal guidance on how monies are spent.

You may know that when there are federal investments in infrastructure, they're often administered by the provinces. Provinces often determine the criteria for spending, but if the money is coming from the federal government, there's an opportunity to set clear expectations about what kinds of infrastructure are acceptable and not acceptable. There are also expectations for planning, flood management, and long-term thinking incorporating climate change.

I would really like, as a take-away from this study and this committee, for there to be a clear request to Infrastructure Canada, Public Safety Canada, and whichever other federal departments work with the provinces to have a baseline expectation that the monies that are spent will build back better in a fish-friendly way, and not a one-off fix to restore what was there before, which in some cases might not be the most appropriate infrastructure.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Being from the east coast, would I be naive if I were to assume that there would be consensus from all the parties on what is defined as fish-friendly infrastructure and building back better?

[Tanis Gower]

I think there are so many parties involved that we need some technical guidance and coordination to understand what is meant by building back better and fish-friendly infrastructure. There will be some technical input into that on a site-specific basis, but generally speaking, I think there will be a shared understanding that fish-friendly infrastructure must include, at the very minimum, pumps that do not kill fish, which are now widely available.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Okay.

Mr. McNeil, obviously, climate change is changing much on the west coast. Earlier you made reference to a particular meeting where the federal minister was the “lone voice” defending salmon in this context. Could you expand on your statement?

[Chief Tyrone McNeil]

In another hat I wear, as the emergency management adviser to the First Nations Leadership Council, I'm invited to senior meetings, including the B.C.-federal committee on this, which has 10 federal ministers and seven provincial ministers. In participating in the meeting and reading the meeting notes afterward, the DFO minister is like-minded to this conversation here. She puts salmon at the forefront and puts salmon habitat at the forefront. But we're not hearing it from any other federal minister or any provincial minister. We're absolutely hearing it at the lower levels within the provincial ministries that are involved, whether that be forests and lands or other ministries, but at that senior level, it's only this minister looking after fish.

Related to that, in my opinion, the “build back better” that we're talking about here is a buzz phrase at that most senior level. The senior folks at the ministerial level don't have a clear understanding of what build back better is, and they could really do us a disservice if they get that definition wrong. That's why we're promoting that we gather first nations and local governments to have a conversation about what build back better is to us, directly impacted by the rain event, and then we'll get it right. You know that everybody here, on this side of the panel, is saying let's look after fish. That needs to be fully incorporated into build back better.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Thank you, Mr. Morrissey. That's right on time, and it's a good way to end this.

We're going to say a big thank you to our witnesses for today. Normally, we don't have six, but we felt that instead of dividing it into two panels, we'd get a better feel for what's on the go if we did it in one panel. You shared some good knowledge with the committee, and it's much appreciated. Thank you.

We will now go in camera to give some instructions to our analysts.

[Proceedings continue in camera]