Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Just to follow up on what Ms. Desbiens said and what has been said thus far, it's important that this matter get established, has full vetting and is able to be determined. Those who are expecting the work of the committee to produce results know that for there to be good results, good outcomes and accurate reporting recommendations, there has to be total transparency and open and honest answers coming from the witnesses before us, most particularly from the minister herself. It's incumbent that we re-establish or establish confidence in the answers that are being given.
Mr. Perkins is doing his job as an MP to stand up and fight for stakeholders, fish harvesters and organizations in his region. They send us here to represent the concerns of our constituents. As he has borne witness to here, he has had repeated conversations with key stakeholders and industry representatives who are telling him that they were absolutely frustrated and flabbergasted with what they heard. He has given air to that. He's doing his job in making sure their voices are being heard on this matter at the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans.
As to the seriousness of this, when people look to the committee, they want some semblance of confidence that what we're doing matters and that we're taking it seriously. If there's been a complete breach like this, or what we feel to be a complete breach, there should be repercussions for that, and we should be willing to do whatever we have to do to make sure that the transparent answers that are expected are being given. The minister has an obligation there, not just to this committee and the member who asked the question, but to every Canadian and, most importantly, those whose industries and livelihoods depend on all of us getting things right here.
That's why this question is important. As important as all of the other things we're doing are, with all of the other hearings and the witnesses we want to hear from—it's all important and good work—if we don't get this right, it erodes the confidence in the whole process. It erodes the confidence in anything we're going to recommend going forward because people are going to ask how they can trust testimony if they don't have absolute assurance.
This is a worthy exercise in establishing the merits and the importance of having accurate, honest and transparent testimony, so that when a member raises questions on behalf of his or her constituents, they have the absolute assurance that whoever is giving an answer, particularly the minister responsible for a file, is being transparent and honest with it.
Mr. Chair, I appreciate you taking the time to consider this matter, and I appreciate the deliberations that are going on. It's important that those at home understand that we take very seriously the concern that's been raised by one of our members, who feels that his constituents were totally misrepresented and that their concerns are going to be heard when they feel that way. Mr. Perkins is doing the job of an elected official to represent those in his riding, especially on a matter that pertains to their future livelihoods.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.