Fisheries Committee on Dec. 4th, 2025

Liberal

Joanne Thompson Liberal St. John's East, NL

I don't make political decisions.

Conservative

Mike Dawson Conservative Miramichi—Grand Lake, NB

Can you give me a list of how they were prioritized?

Liberal

Joanne Thompson Liberal St. John's East, NL

I will certainly be pleased to pass them on. We can provide the operational plan for small craft harbours and how the whole engagement happens. I'm pleased to do it.

Conservative

Mike Dawson Conservative Miramichi—Grand Lake, NB

How much money in this year's budget was allocated to repairs for small craft harbours that were devastated by hurricane Fiona? That's something that supposedly should have been done years ago.

Liberal

Joanne Thompson Liberal St. John's East, NL

I know it's ongoing work. I know that from my own province. I'm happy to provide that number for you. We will follow up in writing.

Conservative

Mike Dawson Conservative Miramichi—Grand Lake, NB

Can the minister give the committee an update on the creation of the Arctic fisheries fund and the Atlantic and Quebec fisheries funds, considering that your party promised to “help our fisheries respond to tariffs and reduce the risk involved in expanding to new markets” through these funds?

Liberal

Joanne Thompson Liberal St. John's East, NL

There are multiple supports available, certainly for new markets. I can provide, for your region, the exact amount and how to access it.

In terms of the fishery funds, I encourage you to have a conversation with my team in your area about what worked incredibly well and what you'd like to see going forward. Please know that the current funds continue into 2026.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Patrick Weiler

Thank you very much, Mr. Dawson.

Next, we're going to go to Mr. Cormier for three and a half minutes.

Liberal

Serge Cormier Liberal Acadie—Bathurst, NB

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Minister, thank you for joining us.

First, I'd like to provide a bit of context for my colleague who just asked questions about small craft harbour projects. His colleague, Jake Stewart, the member for his riding before him, spent hardly any time in the region during his entire term in the Parliament of Canada. He never met with the region's fishers. Last week, my colleague showed up in Tabusintac with Pierre Poilievre to say that they were going to fix the problems and build these harbours, even though they voted against the budget. I'd just like to explain to the fishers of Tabusintac that when people make visits like these to the ridings, they should come with numbers and data, ready to explain to fishers how their problems are going to be fixed.

I know that small craft harbours are vitally important in our regions. Since we Liberals took power, we've invested nearly $1 billion in small craft harbours. This infrastructure needed additional funding because it had been neglected for the 10 previous years.

I just wanted to clarify things a little.

Now, the fisheries fund has led to investments of nearly $56 million in my riding since it was created in 2017. It's also led to huge investments in the riding of my colleague, Mr. Deschênes. I understand that the industry considers it a priority. This funding will continue until 2026. It's also a priority for the Atlantic caucus, and I'm confident that we'll be able to secure additional funds.

That said, my region has another major concern that I've been talking about for years. I'm referring to the snow crab licences being lost in my region and sold to fishers in other provinces, like Quebec, Nova Scotia or Prince Edward Island. Our regions are losing these licences because of requirements set out in regulations that need to be changed, including residency requirements. In New Brunswick, for example, a fisher has to have resided in the region for six months, but in Quebec, it's two years. Other regulations related to the Fisheries Act, or other regulations on funding, also play a part. These licences currently go for $10 million, $15 million or even $20 million. It's practically impossible to get one. My region runs the risk of losing another three of these licences.

Minister, would you be prepared today to ask your officials to halt the sale of these licences, study the situation to figure out how things have reached this point and find solutions to keep these licences close to our communities?

Liberal

Joanne Thompson Liberal St. John's East, NL

Thank you for the question. It's very important, and I certainly appreciate the time that I spent in your riding this summer, where I heard this loud and clear.

It speaks to the need for us to continue to dialogue and for you and me to continue to speak about this. I know it's important.

I want to reference not only the need to ensure we have the conservation measures in place that ensure a sustainable fishery into the future but that it's also very important we have the young harvesters who really need to come on board immediately so we have the harvesters on the water in these communities as we go forward.

We need to have very specific conversations about the things we need to do to ensure that the coastal, rural and indigenous communities are still connected to the fisheries in a very tangible way. It's the economic benefit for the larger region, apart from the direct funds to the harvester.

I'm absolutely open to continuing this conversation with you.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Patrick Weiler

Thank you very much, Mr. Cormier.

Mr. Deschênes, you have the floor for two minutes.

Bloc

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Minister, thank you for the answers you gave to my colleague, Mr. d'Entremont. I thought they contained a lot of information.

You say that what's needed is clarity on the matter of unauthorized fisheries, that harvesters are entitled to safety and that you take responsibility for that.

Based on all the testimony given, you agree that we have a problem that needs to be fixed, right?

Liberal

Joanne Thompson Liberal St. John's East, NL

I recognize that we have a challenge, and I've been very clear that we need to move forward to, yes, ensure that we have authorized fishing and, second to that, in all ways to ensure safety for harvesters, of course.

Bloc

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

How do you intend to change things?

Liberal

Joanne Thompson Liberal St. John's East, NL

I will continue to do what I'm doing in working with my colleague Mr. Lambertucci to support what happens on the water with fisheries officers.

We also have a role to play in education. We have, all of us, a role to play in leadership to provide information to harvesters on what is expected per the rules and regulations.

I certainly want to thank the fisheries officers. They have stepped up in a very real way. We've made tremendous strides in a short period of time, and that's never easy. I want to thank them for that work.

Bloc

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

Earlier, you said that they had to respond, whether indigenous rights were involved or not. Is that right?

Liberal

Joanne Thompson Liberal St. John's East, NL

I don't direct what happens on the water. I'm happy to turn it over to Mr. Lambertucci for that question.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Patrick Weiler

We're at time. It might be better to deliver that in writing, if possible.

Thank you very much, Mr. Deschênes.

That completes our first panel.

I want to thank the minister and the department officials for taking the time to be with us today to speak to the estimates and otherwise.

We are going to suspend for a few minutes to allow the minister to depart, and then we'll continue with questions with the officials for the remainder of the time.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Patrick Weiler

Welcome back, everyone.

I want to welcome some new witnesses to the table, including Niall O'Dea, senior assistant deputy minister, strategic policy; Adam Burns, assistant deputy minister, fisheries and harbour management; and Jennifer Saxe, assistant deputy minister, aquatic ecosystems.

Before we continue, I want to inform members that we are going to dismiss the officials at around 10:10 so we can take care of voting on the supplementary estimates.

With that, we're going to jump into the first round of questions for the second panel, starting with Mr. Small for six minutes.

Conservative

Clifford Small Conservative Central Newfoundland, NL

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

My question is for Ms. Levesque.

After my bill to manage pinnipeds and balance ecosystems was tabled in 2022, this Liberal government was all over developing markets and expanding harvests.

A healthy harvest of harp seals would be north of 300,000, for sure. In 2023, it was 40,000; in 2024, it was 32,000; and this year it was somewhere around 25,000. In the last three years, after the commitment was made to bring down seal numbers by having a healthy harvest, it's been failure upon failure, and we just heard the minister say she believes in having a healthy seal harvest.

Do you know why the Prime Minister removed the trade of seal products from the agenda in June when the meeting was had with Europeans for a trade summit?

Interim Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Kaili Levesque

Unfortunately, I don't know the specific circumstances under which the agendas are set at the leader-to-leader level in that regard. However, we have engaged and continue to engage with the European Union officials at the highest level to explore repealing the ban on the trade in seals, including a ministerial letter submitted in August 2024. We do continue to manage several seal harvests, as you note, but the harvest is lower than the allowable rates.

Thank you, sir.

Conservative

Clifford Small Conservative Central Newfoundland, NL

Thank you.

Ms. Saxe, I've had a number of salmon anglers throughout Atlantic Canada approach me over the last few weeks, since the budget came out with the 15% reduction planned in the DFO's budget. Is the fishery guardian program in Atlantic Canada in danger of being cut, yes or no?