Fisheries Committee on March 27th, 2023

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Thank you for that.

[Mike Kelloway, Liberal, Cape Breton—Canso, NS]

Just quickly, I wonder if you can give us an update, Minister, on our commitment to protect 25% of the marine areas by 2025 and the importance of the goal. I'll probably just stay there, because that's about the amount of time I have.

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Canada aims to be a global leader in protecting the marine areas. Why? It's because we need to do this for our next generations. The impacts on oceans of shipping and other activities are only going to increase. By having 25% of the oceans protected, we...and recently, an agreement was signed that it's in the high seas as well, so Canada is well on the way to our 25% target in our coastal areas. What that does is that by protecting the seabed floor from activities that might disrupt it, we restore fisheries abundance, and those fish then spill out of the marine protected areas and make it possible to grow abundance in our fish and seafood sector, which is a very important priority for my ministry and for me.

[Mike Kelloway, Liberal, Cape Breton—Canso, NS]

Thank you, Minister.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Thank you, Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Kelloway. That was a long 40 seconds.

We'll go to Madame Desbiens now for two and a half minutes, please.

[Caroline Desbiens, Bloc, Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d’Orléans—Charlevoix, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Minister, I'd like to return to the protected marine areas. We were very happy to learn that the Saguenay—St. Lawrence Marine Park was going to be expanded. It will include the canal on the south shore of Île aux Coudres, but unfortunately not the north shore. That is somewhat worrying to us because it's the side that gets all the major marine traffic, where there is the most noise, and where the beluga whales swim, as they follow the schools of capelan. I couldn't let this go by without mentioning it. That's a subsidiary issue I wanted to mention and I intend to voice our concerns to the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change.

However, while marine parks are being opened and marine areas are being protected, we are allowing 50 oil extraction wells under the Bay du Nord project, when we know that the noise is highly toxic to mammals. It has been demonstrated for belugas, and I think it's also the case for right whales and many other mammals and species.

Can you explain how both of these things can coexist?

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

In Canadian protected areas, there are four things that are not permitted. Those include dumping at sea, exploration drilling for oil and gas, and two other things.

We do have some commitments that invasive activities will not be taking place while fishing, and other activities can take place. We're in the process.

I don't believe Bay du Nord is in a protected area.

[Caroline Desbiens, Bloc, Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d’Orléans—Charlevoix, QC]

The Bay du Nord project is not in a protected marine area, but in the ocean where all kinds of species and mammals live. Historical data have shown that even right whales swim in these waters. It's a matter of some concern to us and our fellow citizens living near the St. Lawrence River and the Gulf.

I think my speaking time has run out. I wouldn't want to try for more, because I tend to be very disciplined.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Yes. Thank you, Madame Desbiens.

We'll now go to Ms. Barron for two and a half minutes, please.

[Lisa Marie Barron, NDP, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I've heard the importance of addressing abandoned and derelict vessels that remain a huge environmental concern along the coasts of British Columbia mentioned once already today. We know that these sinking and polluting vessels threaten food security for coastal communities and also the sovereignty of first nations as they contaminate traditional food supply and pollute our surrounding marine ecosystems. They are a danger in our waters. They're an eyesore along our coasts, as you know.

In January of this year, we saw that a vessel that had sunk and was abandoned was reported as spilling large amounts of fuel into the water for over a month. It caused chronic contamination, with fuel spilled on the beaches and other valuable ecological areas in a provincial park with no response. The Snuneymuxw Marine Division, which is nation within my riding of Nanaimo—Ladysmith, was not even informed of the incident by the Canadian Coast Guard.

We know that there are solutions being brought forward. Will the minister commit to working with other government departments and first nations—including Snuneymuxw—to finally put into place mechanisms to prevent vessels from being abandoned in the first place, to ensure that derelict vessels are not polluting our coastlines and to respond in a timely manner to mitigate environmental damages that may result?

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

First I'd like to say that only under our government was legislation created to address abandoned and derelict vessels, which was a huge step forward. The Canadian Coast Guard and DFO have been doing some very difficult and complex work to ensure that when abandoned vessels are at risk of leaking oil into the seas, that oil is removed and cleaned up.

If there are specifics about the incident that the member is referring to, I'll turn it over to Mr. Pelletier to address.

[Mario Pelletier]

Unfortunately, I don't have the specifics of that case, but I do have to recognize that we did get money through the oceans protection plan to address some of those vessels of concern. We did an inventory. There are about 2,000 across Canada. We did a risk assessment, and we'll address them one by one as resources are available. It's something that's of huge concern that we're putting the right effort into.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Thank you, Ms. Barron.

We'll now go, if I have everything correct in my schedule, to Mr. Epp.

You have five minutes or less, please.

[Dave Epp, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister, for appearing.

I'd like to begin by addressing some questions to you, Mr. Goodyear. I'm limited by time, so I'd ask that you respect my questions with some brevity.

On December 2 you told this committee that the Great Lakes Fishery Commission's 2023 budget had been set. In fact, the transcript shows that you said, “The budget for GLFC has been based on the negotiation between the two nations and is set, of course, with the inclusion of the commission.”

Is this a correct characterization of your testimony to this committee, yes or no?

[Richard Goodyear, Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Chair, thank you for the opportunity to clarify my response from December 2 as to the status of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission budget.

Based on the information that was made available to me at the time, I was aware that the funding set forth in budget 2022, which was an additional $44.9 million—

[Dave Epp, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON]

I'll get to that. Was that your testimony to the committee?

[Richard Goodyear]

Yes, that was my testimony.

[Dave Epp, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON]

Thank you.

I just want to remind the committee that's the first time—at the November meeting—that a commission budget was not ever set.

Next, is the GLFC's 2023 budget—the one covering the 2023 field season—set as of today? Just answer yes or no, please.

[Richard Goodyear]

To my knowledge, the budget has not been set for GLFC.

[Dave Epp, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON]

As you were starting to say before, the Minister of Finance in 2022 did allocate $19.605 million for each of the fiscal years through 2026-27. It's composed of $10.625 million from the 2021-22 budget, plus the additional allocation of $8.98 million, specifically expressed as the $44.9 million over the five years. Then all that funding goes to A-base funding, post 2027-28, from the Government of Canada to the budget to the commission.

Is this correct, yes or no?

[Richard Goodyear]

The funding as identified by the honourable member, $44.9 million over five years and the $9 million ongoing, is correct.

[Dave Epp, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON]

Thank you.

How much of Parliament's new allocation to the GLFC does the DFO plan to withhold in fiscal year 2024?

[Richard Goodyear]

Mr. Chair, thank you for the question.

DFO does not withhold funding. DFO maintains funding to deliver sea lamprey control on behalf of the GLFC. The remainder of the funding, approximately $11.4 million of the $19 million, will be provided to the GLFC for its important mandate.

[Dave Epp, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON]

Has that withholding been approved by the GLFC board and commission?

[Richard Goodyear]

Again, DFO does not withhold funding. We simply provide the sea lamprey control on behalf of the GLFC at an amount that's agreed upon and negotiated with the GLFC.