I call this meeting to order.
Welcome to meeting number 40 of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans.
I would like to begin by acknowledging that we are gathered on the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe people.
Pursuant to Standing Order 108, the committee is meeting to continue its study on the factors determining the opening and closing dates of marine harvesting seasons.
Today's meeting is taking place in a hybrid format. Pursuant to the routine motions, I want to advise the committee that all witnesses appearing today have successfully conducted the tests and are properly logged on.
I want to remind you of the following housekeeping points.
Please wait until I recognize you by name before speaking.
For those of you appearing by video conference, please look at the little globe at the bottom of your screen. You will be able to click on the appropriate language for yourselves.
I want to remind witnesses that committee members are going to ask questions in either French or English, so make sure you have the interpretation ready, so that we don't have to wait for too long before you get your interpretation of the questions.
For members in the room, if you wish to speak, raise your hand. The clerk and I will see how we can pick up who was first.
Thank you.
I'd like to welcome all of our witnesses today.
From the Assembly of First Nations, we have Andrea Paul, regional chief for Nova Scotia, and James MacDonald, director of fisheries. They're both appearing by video conference.
From the Fisheries Council of Canada, we have Jason McLinton, president. By video conference, we have Grant Dovey, member.
From Icewater Seafoods, Inc., we have Alberto Wareham, president and CEO.
We will start with the witnesses' opening statements.
Witnesses, your opening statements are five minutes for the group, not per person, so those of you who are speaking for your group will have five minutes. I will give you a one-minute shout-out and then a 30-second shout-out. Ignore me when you hear “one minute” and “30 seconds”. You don't have to pay attention, but it gives you an idea of when to wrap up, so I don't have to stop you mid-sentence.
We'll begin the opening remarks with Mr. Wareham for five minutes, please.