Evidence of meeting #68 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 companies.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Rick Perkins Conservative South Shore—St. Margarets, NS
I'll yield my time to Mr. Small or Mr. Arnold.
Conservative
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
Okay.
We seem to be in a mixture of federal or provincial jurisdiction. Is the processing under federal or provincial jurisdiction? Would the federal regulations have any sway in the ownership of processing, Mr. Sproul?
President, Bay of Fundy Inshore Fishermen's Association
In Nova Scotia, the licensing of fish buyers and processors is a provincial matter, but I think there is a role for the federal government to play, especially when it comes to foreign ownership. It seems to me that the onus switches at that point to the federal government to stand up for Canadians and to stand up for the Atlantic provinces.
Liberal
Liberal
Mike Kelloway Liberal Cape Breton—Canso, NS
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
It's good to see everyone here online and in person with respect to this study.
I'm going to focus on Mr. Sproul. I'm going to ask a couple of questions and then let it rip in terms of your answers to us.
In trying to encapsulate the discussion that we're having today, in terms of creating a stronger economy in Atlantic Canada when it comes to the seafood sector and ensuring that there is a balance where there needs to be balance with Canadian-owned companies, what are three things we could be doing now in a short period of time, and what are three long-term things that could strengthen that? Those are two questions.
The third question is around a question that Mr. Perkins brought up that I'm interested in unpacking a bit.
We understand that processing, for the most part, falls under the domain of the provinces. You mentioned national control of the logistics chain. I wonder if we could unpack that a bit. Number one, why is it important? It's obvious, probably, to many of us around the table, but I want to go deep on that.
Also, what are your thoughts in terms of tightening up the relationship between the province and the feds where we can?
President, Bay of Fundy Inshore Fishermen's Association
In the near term, I think government needs to recognize that in Canada's most valuable fishery, lobster, bait is a critical issue. We're facing a bait crisis because of conservation measures that have been enacted by the department in pelagics. I think the government needs to create pathways to connect lobster fishermen with bait through quota allocations.
I also think the government needs to consider the fact that.... We're all here today to try to preserve the future of this industry. New entrants are now faced with a competitor, and the competitor is the Department of Fisheries in its willingness and in its need to integrate moderate livelihood fishers into our industry. The government needs to take a step back and recognize that each action it takes has an unintended consequence on new entrants to the fishery. It may be harder than ever at this time for a new guy or gal to join this industry. I think that's something we all need to recognize.
In the long term, logistics will be a big part. For me, the most important thing that the government needs to do is.... It's no secret that there's a blue economic strategy being pursued by the current government. The ocean is a finite place. Even though it seems really big to everybody else, the places that fishermen need to operate in order to remain profitable can sometimes be very small. I think there needs to be a recognition by the government that small-scale users of the resource, like inshore fishermen, deserve special consideration when it comes to carving out safe and sustainable places for them to fish in the future.
Liberal
Mike Kelloway Liberal Cape Breton—Canso, NS
Perhaps you could unpack better management control of the logistics chain. I think that's an important one to connect on.
President, Bay of Fundy Inshore Fishermen's Association
I think it comes down to money. I think there needs to be investment by provincial and federal governments in Atlantic Canada to develop logistics that are independent of lobster buyers and lobster shippers. It's clearly a conflict for somebody to be buying lobsters at the dock, controlling the only way to ship them to Asia, and profiting on both ends and everywhere in the middle. I think that's going to require investment by provincial and federal governments, and I encourage those governments to work together to that end.
Liberal
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
Actually, you have 40 seconds, but I'd like to take it so that we have time to change out for our in camera portion.
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
Thank you, Mr. Kelloway, given it's a Monday and everything else.
I want to say thank you to our witnesses—Mr. Bernatchez, Mr. Sproul, Mr. Bonnell, Ms. Aylward and Mr. MacPherson—for joining us here today and sharing their knowledge with the committee as we navigate through this study.
Again, thank you, one and all.
We now have to sign out. Some of us will have to sign back in again.
Thank you.
[Proceedings continue in camera]