Evidence of meeting #21 for Fisheries and Oceans in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was process.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Joanne Thompson Liberal St. John's East, NL
I believe we need to protect our ecosystems. At the same time, we need to protect our fisheries. I believe in consultation. I'm pleased that there's a study before this committee to look at marine protected areas.
Conservative
Clifford Small Conservative Central Newfoundland, NL
Minister, we have representatives duly elected to represent coastal regions that are going to be impacted by the decision that your government made to choose the United Nations over the livelihoods of fishing families.
Will you commit today and let us know that you care as much about the livelihoods of the coastal communities that are going to be impacted by your decisions in setting up these marine protected areas to suit the United Nations? Do you care as much about that as you do about the decision made to come here so quickly?
Liberal
Joanne Thompson Liberal St. John's East, NL
MP Small, I assure you that I believe in consultation, and I make myself available to this committee when asked. I will continue to protect the need to consult—
Conservative
Conservative
Liberal
Joanne Thompson Liberal St. John's East, NL
I am not going to play games with something that's very important to harvesters and to regions. We can do more than one thing. We can protect fisheries. We can protect our habitat. This is about—
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Patrick Weiler
I'm going to jump in here. We're well over time, Mr. Small, so we're moving on.
Liberal
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
Thank you, Chair.
I have a question for the minister.
It should be clear to anybody in the room, or anyone who may be watching, that the reason we're narrowly studying this part of the budget is that the Conservatives on the finance committee, by motion, referred only this part to this committee to review.
Minister, give me a general comment. Obviously, senior officials in your department briefed you on taking the steps that you are considering doing with this particular corporation. What was the basis for recommending to go in that direction?
Liberal
Joanne Thompson Liberal St. John's East, NL
I need to stay in a very narrow space, because I have to protect the confidentiality of the divestiture process, but I can tell you that it is about a need to modernize. Also, it is about the need for this organization to be competitive. Harvesters depend on the ability to get product to market—
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
When would it have last been looked at by the department, specifically in attempting to preserve it for the benefit of fishers in the future?
Liberal
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
Thank you, Madam Minister.
In your opening statement, Minister, you referenced enforcement and C and P. Certainly, the opposition has given us latitude to move beyond the narrow scope of the reference, but could you for the benefit of the committee give us a general overview?
Conservative
Conservative
Clifford Small Conservative Central Newfoundland, NL
Mr. Chair, I'm wondering if the matters that Mr. Morrissey just referenced were noted in camera or in public?
Conservative
Clifford Small Conservative Central Newfoundland, NL
Is he disclosing discussions that were meant to remain private?
Liberal
Conservative
Clifford Small Conservative Central Newfoundland, NL
Are things that are discussed in camera allowed to be brought forward to this committee?