Evidence of meeting #16 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 response.
A recording is available from Parliament.
12:50 p.m.
Bloc
Caroline Desbiens Bloc Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île dOrléans—Charlevoix, QC
I appreciate members' support. It's quite clear that they understand the issue. I also appreciate the hesitation of members who expressed concerns about the committee pushing the minister to intervene politically before the scientific data come in.
I would remind the committee members that we have been waiting for the scientific data to come in for a year now. What's more, we haven't been standing idly by. We have sought a variety of significant and compelling scientific opinions from a wide range of sources, including universities and centres for biodiversity, and we provided that research to the minister.
One study, in particular, stands out. It shows that the St. Lawrence River capelin have no connection to the capelin off the coast of Newfoundland. DNA tests were conducted and the results are conclusive. Capelin can travel 200 kilometres, not 2,000.
The St. Lawrence River stocks are in very good shape. As the honourable member said, the idea is not to force the minister into making a decision, but to try to help her understand the type of fishing we are talking about here. It doesn't involve a fishing boat, so no gas is required. It isn't part of a massive fishery; the fishers are harvesting a resource that is going to die on the shore anyways.
That is really what the minister needs to understand. We tried to convey that to her, her deputy ministers and some scientists. The goal isn't to have the committee meet by Monday. The goal is to have those folks come to Cap-à-l'Aigle to see for themselves how exactly the capelin are harvested. Then, they would understand that the stocks are not being impacted.
With each passing day, however, the longevity and survival of this intangible heritage is being impacted. I have also reached out to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, so he is aware of the situation. We are not looking for preferential treatment. All we want is for our fishers to be able to fish next year, and for that to happen, the opening date cannot be April 22 or 25. That is too late. Every day counts.
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
Thank you, Madame Desbiens.
I guess we'll go to a vote on the actual motion. I'll read the motion out first so that everybody is fully aware of what it says.
It states:That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee invite Joyce Murray, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, along with her officials, for a meeting of two (2) hours, to be held no later than April 13, 2022, to inform the Committee about the steps the department has taken on this issue since the spring of 2021 and the steps the Minister plans to take, as well as the time required, to correct the problem, given the unique nature of weir fishing in the Charlevoix region of Quebec, and in Newfoundland and Labrador.
If there's no further discussion, we'll ask the clerk to do a recorded vote.
(Motion agreed to: yeas 6; nays 5)
The motion is passed.
We'll now take a very quick recess to switch to in camera for drafting instructions for the additional half-hour.
[Proceedings continue in camera]