Thank you, Chair.
Thank you to our witnesses who are here today. My first question is for Mr. Knight.
Mr. Knight, when I was listening to your testimony, I was reflecting on the violent attacks against the Mi’kmaq fishers that took place in 2000 around the lobster dispute. We learned after the incident that, if the conservation knowledge that the Mi'kmaq fishers used had been acknowledged by DFO, the violence probably would not have escalated to the extent that it did. There was a lack of understanding of Mi’kmaq conservation principles and it was later demonstrated that the lobster fishing done by Mi’kmaq fishers would have had little to no impact on the long-term conservation of the species.
Now, I'm pulling from your point around the importance of consideration of the views of fish harvesters and indigenous groups about the health of the stock. I'm wondering what efforts have been made by the department to understand the social impacts that its communications have during real-time events that impact the safety and livelihoods of fishers, using this incident, this dispute, in particular, as an example.
Thank you.