Thank you.
First of all, I'd like to start off by saying that I don't have higher education or anything like that. I feel pretty out of place here today, but I'll give it my best shot. Thanks to the committee for giving me the opportunity.
I'm a fisherman from La Scie, Newfoundland. I've fished pretty much all my life, like my father and grandfather before me. The fishery is very dear to me.
Long story short, a fishing boat went up for sale back home in La Scie. At the time, the prices were through the roof, with record prices to buy, to get in, so there weren't a lot of people jumping after this deal. I got approached after running boats and stuff back home, skippering on boats, and starting to make a name for myself, I guess. I got approached to get into this enterprise.
It all started with the owner, I guess, setting up a meeting between me and Mr. Quinlan from Quinlan Brothers. The rest is history. I went in there. I know that the only way in right now is through a merchant. It's sad, but true. I went in and entertained the meetings and stuff like that. My old man—my father—went with me for support. Mr. Quinlan was in charge of everything. He got the financing. The banks came to his office. We didn't go to the banks. He was in charge of everything. He picked the financier, with all kinds of fake backing to me, you know. It was, “Run along. We'll roll together, Jimmy. I've got your back. You're signing with the biggest crab producer in the world”, which he is. It was, “Run along. We'll roll together. We're business partners”. That gave me, I guess, the final push to go in. I knew I had good backing. I knew there wasn't much money in the business, but with Robin Quinlan behind me, I thought I would be okay.
Anyway, I caught my quota and did what I could. The first year, with record prices at $7.60 a pound, I could barely pay the interest on the thing. It was pretty much an impossible deal from the start. Quinlan knew that, but I was qualified to hold the quota because I'm a level II fisherman. He didn't want to lose that product in his plant is my belief. He buttered me up and convinced me to go into this deal. After a year or so.... I didn't know much about controlling agreements when I signed this deal. All I knew was, wow, I have a chance to get a longliner, my own own boat.
After a year or so in business with Robin, I wasn't happy at all with how things were going and how much control he had over what was supposed to be my business. I couldn't handle any money. I couldn't disburse money. I had to beg, actually, to get enough money to pay for fuel for the next trip. He ran the show. I wasn't happy about it. I did a bit of research on controlling agreements and corporate concentration, and I knew that this was a prime example of that. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that I was used—headhunted—and my family paid the price.
I mean, it's not something to be proud of, but eight or nine years ago, I had a side-by-side accident. My femur came out through the back of my leg and my arm came out. I spent 16 days in the Health Sciences Centre. I was off work for two years. I was forced to claim bankruptcy. I walked into Quinlan's office, still in bankruptcy, and walked out with $3.8 million. I'm not sure how that works, but that's a fact. I was still in bankruptcy and I walked out with $3.8 million to purchase this boat.
I don't want this to happen to someone else. My family has suffered more than any of you guys can even begin to imagine. My name took a big hit. My career took a big hit. The fact that I'm here doing this is going to cause me more hits to my career. Quinlan has so much control that there are many boats that won't take me now, just because of what I'm doing. It's nothing to do with my work or anything like that, but because they may be close to Quinlan or maybe Quinlan has quota on their boat, and they don't want to send my name in on the share arrangements anymore. I'm taking a big hit for this.
The other day, I believe it was Mr. Morrissey who asked Mr. Berry for an example of this corporate control and corporate concentration. Well, here it is. I'm right here and willing to answer anything.
The DFO investigation team wanted my quota frozen. I have that from the ATIP information I got from DFO. This was the best case that ever fell across the lead investigator's desk, but the upper management in DFO worked against their own investigation team every step of the way.