Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'm sharing my time with Mr. Cormier.
Welcome, Minister. I have to pass on a compliment that was given to you in an earlier committee meeting when we were studying issues on the west coast. One of the witnesses said you are “the lone voice” in defending salmon”, Madam Minister.
My question is on small craft harbours. You identified in the supplementaries the additional money. Our government has committed significant additional dollars in the capital budget for small craft harbours, which are so important, as you identified, to our coastal rural communities. Could you give us some information on how fast your department is able to transfer it from a budget decision to actual piles being driven at these harbours across Atlantic Canada, or any place else?
Could you just give us a brief overview on the timeline it takes to get it from budget to actual projects, and then that work actually happening for the benefit of fishers?