Fisheries Committee on March 23rd, 2026

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

Okay, that's fine, but I'm asking you some simple yes-or-no questions so that we can get a framework for what is happening.

Yes or no, is the department planning to close areas of fishing off B.C.'s coast as part of the marine protected area plan?

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

The officials are going to speak in the next hour, so you're welcome to ask them.

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

Are you not planning to close areas?

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

I will say to you that I believe we can do both in marine protected areas. We can support fishing because that is an economic driver—

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

Are you planning closures, yes or no?

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

I can answer what I can answer.

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

That's what marine protected areas are. They're closures. They're not jet ski parks or where people are going water skiing.

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

You can ask the officials in the second hour.

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

What are they? They're closures by definition.

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

We need to have conservation sustainability so that the next generation is also able to participate in fisheries.

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

I understand all that. I'm just trying to get a simple yes or no answer out of you.

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

It is our role as coastal communities.

You're trying to debate an answer, and I am telling you that we can do both.

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

I'm just trying to get the truth.

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

Beyond that—

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

You can do both what? You can close areas?

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

We can have fishing activity and promote sustainability.

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

Are you planning to close areas to fishing on B.C.'s coast?

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

We can have balance.

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

You can have a balance of what? Is it a balance of closing areas and still having a....

The entire point of marine protected areas is to restrict access for various forms of fishing in various areas. Do you agree that this is the point of marine protected areas?

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

We can circle around this for the rest of the time I have today, but I will answer exactly the same way.

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

Are you still using draft scenario two as the basis for the marine protected areas planning framework, as was reported by your director general, Kathy Graham?

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

You're welcome to ask these questions of officials in the next hour. I will answer the same way. We need to have balance. We need to maintain conservation sustainability and we need to support—

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

Are you considering adopting the UN 30 by 30 framework without closing any areas to any forms of fishing whatsoever?

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

I believe we need balance.

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

You're evading the question. I'm asking a very simple question.