Fisheries Committee on Feb. 2nd, 2026

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

I am not able to give you details, simply because there is a need for confidentiality around the process.

I have had updates, and I will continue to have updates on the process, but there's very limited information that I can provide because I have to honour the confidentiality process.

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

It is possible that the preferred bidder the government is pursuing this with—it seems unilaterally—is not necessarily the highest bidder. Why should Canadians have confidence that it is in the best interests of taxpayers, then?

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

To be very clear, I am not providing any detailed information on the process. I believe in the integrity of the process. I also believe that it is essential that I honour the confidentiality of that process so we can continue.

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

That seems like a very convenient excuse to avoid accountability and transparency. For Canadians watching, why should they have confidence in this process?

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

Deputy, did you want to speak to the process itself at a higher level in terms of how we, at a very high level, move through this?

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

Minister, can you not articulate why Canadians should have confidence? I mean, it's a pretty open-ended question about the process.

I understand there are certain details you might not be able to reveal, but why should Canadians and taxpayers have confidence that this process is delivering value to them?

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

I'm happy to reply in writing on the overarching process, without being able to divulge any particular information.

For Canadians, I believe in transparency. I think it's incredibly important. We can provide that information, but I am not able to give you any specific details.

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

I have one final question for you.

In your opening remarks, you mentioned enforcement and the renewed commitment you articulated toward enforcement of the department. I have a real, genuine question for you here.

In Kitasu Bay, on the west coast of B.C., a local first nation group has unilaterally declared that an area is closed to fishing geoduck and other forms of fishing, but DFO has maintained, to fishermen and their families, that it is open. This has obviously caused a lot of consternation and confusion among fishermen in those communities.

Can you reaffirm that DFO and you through DFO are the final authority for opening and closing decisions for every fishery and reject any unilateral declarations of closing, be it from first nations or other groups? Can you guarantee the rights of fishermen to access these areas that DFO says are open?

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

I don't directly set the work for the officers, but I'll turn to the deputy.

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

You declare what's open and closed. The department does and then the officers enforce that. Is that correct?

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

I'll now turn to the deputy, if she has a comment on this.

[Kaili Levesque]

That's correct. Without speaking to the specific case and the example you've given, we open fisheries based on science, engagement and the advisory committee process. The decision is taken either at the regional director general level or by the minister, depending on the decision in question. Then we work with harvesters, as you note, and local communities, including first nations, to maintain peaceful, orderly access to the fisheries themselves under the conditions of licences issued.

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

Thank you very much, Mr. Gunn.

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

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Thank you, Chair.

Minister, my question will be directed to you, but it's fine to have the deputy respond.

I just want you to walk us back to when the process began. What was the thinking within DFO that led it to recommend the path that the department is on now as it relates to the FFMC?

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

I'm going to turn to the director because I entered the process while it was—

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

I just realized that.

[Kaili Levesque]

As you may be aware, the FFMC was created in 1969 with a clear mandate as the buyer and seller for all interprovincial and export markets for inland fisheries. Over the years, particularly in the 2010 period, we saw a withdrawal of key jurisdictions from the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

What are those key jurisdictions?

[Kaili Levesque]

They were Ontario, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, in succession.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

All the provinces bailed on it.

[Kaili Levesque]

The majority did. Alberta remains a signatory, but it's not an active participant in the sale into the FFMC. We do have an ongoing arrangement with the Northwest Territories, which represents about 5% of the total sales of the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation over the years.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Who provided the funding?

[Kaili Levesque]

The capacity funding for indigenous bidders was provided—

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

No, who has provided the funding to support the FFMC over the years?

[Kaili Levesque]

It is a commercial Crown corporation, so it is capitalized. It is bound by the Financial Administration Act and has to undergo annual audited statements.