Fisheries Committee on June 8th, 2023

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

I have another very quick question.

In terms of priorities and work plans in relation to the sea lamprey, is that a dual effort? Who sets the priorities? I just want to verify. Maybe this is for GLFC. Is it a collaboration? Is it more one side than the other? Who sets those priorities in terms of timelines, work plans and things of that nature?

[Robert Lambe]

That's only been clarified this year.

As Mr. Goodyear pointed out, we now have a memorandum of understanding that's much clearer than what we've ever had in the past. We do have much more accountability in how the sea lamprey control program funding will be spent going forward.

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

Thank you.

I will hand it off to Mr. Hardie.

I think we've clearly articulated challenges that are decades old, but I've also heard today that there are efforts being made. I've heard that there's a cultural issue at play here. I also know that there are multiple cultures when there's partnership and collaboration. Culture drives the strategy. It's my hope that DFO and the Great Lakes commission can continue to work on the right path that sees some initial progress. Hopefully, we can make more progress together.

It's over to Mr. Hardie.

[Ken Hardie, Liberal, Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Kelloway.

The GLFC obviously has working arrangements with states. Now, are the states acting as contractors, or do they treat the programs as state initiatives, as the DFO has been tagged with doing as far as the sea lamprey is concerned?

[Robert Lambe]

No, we don't have any contracts with the states. The states' responsibilities are the same as those of the Province of Ontario. They have fishery management jurisdiction responsibilities. They perform that function through the lake committees process, which we established in 1965.

[Ken Hardie, Liberal, Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC]

You don't provide any funding to the states, and they don't provide any funding to you.

[Robert Lambe]

That's correct.

[Ken Hardie, Liberal, Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC]

All right.

Let me play dad for a second. It seems that the DFO is acting as though the sea lamprey program is a domestic program, a program by the Government of Canada. The GLFC believes that it's a program that should be done on behalf of the GLFC. Do we agree, on DFO's side, that this should be a program done on behalf of the GLFC, or are you still under the impression that this is a Government of Canada program that lands in your lap and it's up to you to do it?

[Niall O'Dea]

Mr. Chair, in line with article VI of the convention, this is very much a program that DFO delivers on behalf of the GLFC. Article VI of the convention notes that GLFC is to make best use of the agents of the contracting parties, which, in our case, is DFO. In the case of the U.S., it's the Fish and Wildlife Service.

[Ken Hardie, Liberal, Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC]

Okay. It doesn't add up that you run the sea lamprey program and then whatever is left over goes to the GLFC. That just seems to be counter to the description here.

Are we, in fact, on a track where the money will flow through you to the GLFC and then you will be allocated money through the GLFC for the sea lamprey program? Is that the way it's going to work?

[Niall O'Dea]

That's a decision to be made.

As an agent of the Government of Canada per article VI, DFO's contributions over the past 60-plus years have been done through appropriation directly to the department, as we have been discussing today. There's obviously a decision to be made about the flow of those funds for the future. That's part of the discussions that are ongoing.

[Ken Hardie, Liberal, Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC]

Who's accountable for the Canadian—

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

I'm sorry, Mr. Hardie. You've gone a little bit over your time.

I want to have a chance to close out the meeting and say a huge thank you to the witnesses today for appearing—Mr. O'Dea, Mr. Goodyear, Mr. Baker, Mr. Lambe, Mr. McClinchey and of course Congresswoman Dingell, who shared her knowledge as well, with her opening remarks.

I will remind members that on Monday the first hour will be on the study of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, with witnesses. The second hour will be drafting instructions for the report on foreign ownership and corporate concentration and instructions for the drafting of the letter following the DFO briefing on report 21, “West Coast Fisheries”.

Just to give an indication of how much interest there was in this particular study, we had five members actually sub in today. I want to thank Mr. Epp, Mr. Badawey, Mr. Masse, Mr. Rogers and Mr. Lawrence. There is obviously quite a lot of interest in this and a lot of people have a lot at stake. Anyway, everybody is included.

Have a good evening, everybody. A big thank you to our clerk, our analysts and our translation team for another great job for a successful meeting.

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

Excuse me, Mr. Chair.

All of us here would like to wish you a happy birthday. It slipped out. It got leaked out there, Mr. Chair.

I request that Madame Desbiens lead in singing Happy Birthday.

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

Dear Chair, today is your birthday. I want to raise my voice and tell you what everyone is secretly thinking. You radiate happiness. Happy birthday, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Thank you.

The meeting is adjourned.