Fisheries Committee on Dec. 4th, 2025

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

Thank you for the comment and the question.

I will say that my role is to ensure that we have a sustainable fishery for future generations, and I take that very seriously. To achieve that, we need to balance science, we need to balance the need for conservation and for sustainability, and we need to clearly understand the importance of the fishery to coastal communities, rural communities and indigenous communities.

It is in that balanced space that we will move forward. In no way would I compromise science, and in no way would I remove the voice of harvesters—the people who are on the water and know what they see every day. That information and important knowledge needs to be incorporated into decision-making.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Thank you, Minister.

One of the areas that, as a parliamentarian, I'm most proud of our government for is the investments our government has made in the department that you are now responsible for, especially in the area of protection.

Could you give to this committee an overview of where we are today, where we've come from over the last number of years and why, in the past, we've seen limited enforcement in coastal communities as it relates to fishery?

Quite frankly, we had a department that was almost gutted when it came to protection.

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

I believe in a measured approach, but at the same time, we can't be afraid to take decisions. There are core pillars that need to remain in place. Science is one. For engagement with stakeholders and with those who are closest to this sector, we have to remain in conversation. We don't have to agree with each other, but we must remain in conversation.

We also need to understand that in order to preserve this important sector for future generations, we have to ensure that we respect authorized fishing. For anything outside of that, there is a consequence, and it will not be tolerated.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Expand on the measures taken in the protection section of the department, the personnel we now have and the boots that are now on the ground. If you want to ask one of your officials to give us clear numbers, that would be fine.

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

I'll turn to Mr. Lambertucci. I really want to thank him for the work he has done over the last number of months. We are seeing those results in real time, and I want to thank the officers. I know it's not always easy for them.

It's over to you, sir.

[Peter Lambertucci, National Chief Enforcement Officer, Department of Fisheries and Oceans]

The investments in capacity are ongoing and constant. That starts with augmentation of boots on the ground by amplifying our impact on the ground. That's through either how we adjust our core priorities or surge resourcing those priorities.

There's also a data investment plan going on, because data is at the base of how we enable those core capacities. Those are things like growing out our body-worn cameras pilot program and the drones, as well as initiatives in terms of overall strategic assignment of where we focus on those capacities to the highest need.

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

Thank you very much, Mr. Morrissey.

Mr. Deschênes, you have the floor for two and a half minutes.

[Alexis Deschênes, Bloc, Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Minister, I'd like to speak with you about the Quebec fisheries fund.

On November 22, we easily formed a united front on this issue in the Gaspésie. The Leader of the Bloc Québécois was with us. The gathering included a fishery industrialist, members of three fishermen's associations and members of first nations engaged in the fisheries. I had the opportunity to speak with them, and they wanted to see the Quebec fisheries fund renewed as well. Its non-renewal was one of the biggest disappointments in the latest budget.

When we talk to people about the importance of the fisheries fund, they tell us that they have lots of plans and all of them are going to improve our fisheries' productivity. They're involved in innovation and scientific partnerships.

When we talked about this the last time, Minister, you asked me to write to the Minister of Finance to try to win him over. I did exactly that. Unfortunately, we realized that the budget hadn't provided any money for the fisheries fund.

Have you taken steps with the Minister of Finance yourself about renewing the fisheries fund?

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

The fund is still ongoing into 2026, but I will say with great respect that you voted against the many supports that were in the budget for your area: the runway, the shipyard, 22 small craft harbours—

[Alexis Deschênes, Bloc, Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC]

I'm sure that you probably wanted to vote against the budget, since it contained nothing for the fisheries fund.

Do you believe in the fisheries fund?

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

The fisheries fund is still running until 2026, but I will also say that small craft harbour supports are very significant. There is funding for the shark pavilion you spoke with me about.

I'm here to work with all members of the House, and I won't politicize the work. Supports for the industry are incredibly important, and I continue to advocate for all of it. When the time comes, it is important that we get a budget across that has these supports in place.

[Alexis Deschênes, Bloc, Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC]

The $1 million appropriation for the Quebec fisheries fund is what's leftover from the previously allocated funding, scheduled to expire in March 2026. After that, there's nothing.

So what lies ahead? What steps are you taking to convince the Minister of Finance to replenish the Quebec fisheries fund?

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

I continue to and will always advocate for support for the industry. I think it's actually an opportunity to have conversations around what worked incredibly well with the fisheries fund, regardless of the label in the country: what worked well, what it is that we have achieved, and what other objectives and emerging objectives we need to look at. Our stresses are different from what they were two or three years ago. I think it's a real opportunity to evaluate.

I have been having active conversations with my counterparts across provinces and territories. I am having conversations with harvesters within the industry, because I think it's an opportunity for us to look at what we need as we go forward. Therefore, I don't see this as a loss. I see it as a chance for us to pause and really do an evaluation.

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

Thank you very much, Mr. Deschênes.

Next, we're going to Mr. Gunn for five minutes.

[Aaron Gunn, Conservative, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Thank you, Chair.

Minister, last week officials from your department admitted to this committee that under your government's plan or crusade to meet these UN 30 by 30 targets of closing 30% of Canada's coastal waters to various economic activities, work is currently being undertaken and pursued without any socio-economic analysis having been conducted whatsoever, and before any study of how many jobs will be lost and how many fishermen will be put out of work and how coastal communities across this country will be affected. Is that true?

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

I will tell you that the consultations are still active. It is a process, and I invite you and harvesters in your area to participate. It is important that we have consultations. Decisions have not been made, but we need to continue to speak.

[Aaron Gunn, Conservative, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Okay, so no, because the closures are already being.... This has been going on for years. Do you believe that the government and DFO have done a good job so far of listening and accommodating fishermen?

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

I can speak to DFO or my department, and I can speak to the work I'm doing actively with DFO, and we do consult. The work towards conservation areas involves other departments. It is a process. The process is intended to encourage engagement, and I absolutely support that. I have been very clear at this table and at every meeting I've been to since I've come into this role. We need to dialogue, and we need to understand each other, and we need to stay at those tables.

[Aaron Gunn, Conservative, North Island—Powell River, BC]

This 30 by 30 commitment was mentioned in the throne speech, I believe, so it's clearly a key priority of your government. I don't think you would deny that.

Is it true you're pushing ahead with this 30 by 30 plan to close 30% of Canada's coastal waters to various economic activities, and you have no idea how many jobs that will cost fishermen in coastal communities and how much economic activity that will cost our country at a time when we're obviously in very challenging economic conditions?

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

Conservation and sustainability are critical for all of us. It's part of being able to ensure we have a sector that's viable going forward.

[Aaron Gunn, Conservative, North Island—Powell River, BC]

It's safe to say, Minister, that you will push ahead with this 30 by 30 plan regardless of the economic consequences and how many jobs will be lost. Is that fair?

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

I didn't say that. I said we can do multiple things at once, and I have great faith in our ability.

[Aaron Gunn, Conservative, North Island—Powell River, BC]

You're willing to back away from the 30 by 30 commitment if the economic consequences are too severe. Is that fair? It has to be one or the other, as you know.

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

I don't believe anything has to be one or the other. I think we can find balance, and I think there's a tremendous amount of misinformation connected with conservation areas that are not intended to stop the use and fishing in the area. Let's stay in dialogue. That's how we find a way forward.

[Aaron Gunn, Conservative, North Island—Powell River, BC]

There's a lot of ambiguity right now, but it's that ambiguity and uncertainty that are obviously hurting fishermen and their families quite a bit, so I hope you will try to push the department to provide clarity as quickly as possible.

The other thing I wanted to ask you about is that for some time now your government has claimed, in contradiction to your own science, I might add, that you would terminate the open-net salmon farming in British Columbia with some sort of vague transition. That supposed plan was supposed to arrive months ago, but it never did, and now you have Liberal MPs, including on this committee, contradicting each other in public about whether you intend to follow through on those closures of open-net salmon farming in B.C.

Thousands of British Columbians, as I'm sure you can appreciate, especially in my riding, rely on this industry for work to meet mortgage payments and put food on the table to feed their families. I honestly don't mean to be political; I just want to know what your government is planning to do. Do you have a plan? What do you want me to tell these constituents who are working in this industry right now about what their future holds?