Evidence of meeting #8 for International Trade in the 41st Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was ceta.
Conservative
Ron Cannan Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
Mr. Morley, what's your perspective on CETA and the opportunities for Halifax and the greater area?
Senior Vice-President and Chief Economist, Greater Halifax Partnership
I think there are significant opportunities related to primarily the gateway, and the port, the airport, and more business on the railway. There are substantial flows of goods through the port to the rest of the country—the rest of North America, for that matter—from Europe, so enhancement of that is a big priority.
Fully utilizing the opportunity for lower tariffs on high-value fresh seafood products does require extra lift, airlift, out of Halifax. That will be very important going forward. Right now we truck a lot of product to either Boston or Montreal to achieve that airlift. Finding a way to create more of that directly out of Halifax will enhance that position and ensure that we can take full advantage of the opportunity.
The gateway will be quite central to whatever benefits flow to Halifax and to Nova Scotia. Getting our businesses ready for the opportunity and the competition will be pretty important to us as well. The three levels of government and organizations like ours are working with businesses now to ensure that they are ready for that increased competition and increased opportunity.
Conservative
Ron Cannan Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
Excellent.
Mr. Savage, I'm just going to say that your local government's looking at having staff prepare documentation. I know that Minister Fast, the Minister of International Trade, who was working with the Prime Minister and instrumental in having this agreement signed, spent nine years with the City of Abbotsford. He's absolutely willing to help, and his department, with any preparation if your staff have any questions on local government provisions.
I know that there are seven negotiating principles, and I believe, as you alluded to in your opening comments, those issues have been addressed, especially having a balanced perspective of reciprocity and procurement. So I'm hopeful, as we move forward, that you'll be able to take advantage not only locally here but also other municipalities across Canada will with this bilateral agreement.
Moving over to our friends from the Fisheries Community Alliance, Gus, how many people does your alliance represent, how many members, and what is the composition of the alliance?
Chairperson, Fisheries Community Alliance, As an Individual
The alliance was formed in 1992 when the fisheries collapsed and the moratorium was declared. It came together with representatives in the group, including fishery scientists, most of whom are retired; federal and provincial bureaucrats; fishermen; former processors, including me, who retired 20 years ago from that particular company; and many people in the public.
It's an organization that has been in contact with most areas in Newfoundland and Labrador. While it doesn't have a large paid membership, the people in it are those who are very familiar with fisheries, and many of them date as far back as 30 and 40 years.
Conservative
Chairperson, Fisheries Community Alliance, As an Individual
We don't have any paid members; it's a strictly voluntary organization.
Conservative
Chairperson, Fisheries Community Alliance, As an Individual
I wouldn't have any idea how many we have, but there are quite a few people across the province who are members.
Conservative
Ron Cannan Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
You don't have a membership list of some sort?
I've looked on the Internet, trying to find something about the alliance and haven't been able to find anything.
Chairperson, Fisheries Community Alliance, As an Individual
I beg your pardon?
Conservative
Ron Cannan Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
I was trying to find it. Do you have a monthly or an annual meeting?
Chairperson, Fisheries Community Alliance, As an Individual
We have regular meetings from time to time, but it's a voluntary organization that has been the voice of the people who are extremely interested in rebuilding the resource to a level we delivered to Canada in 1949. That's what the organization is all about, and there is a great deal of interest in it, I might tell you, across the province.
Conservative
Chairperson, Fisheries Community Alliance, As an Individual
How many people come to the meetings?
Conservative
Chairperson, Fisheries Community Alliance, As an Individual
It would be 15 or 20; something of that order.
Conservative
Ron Cannan Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
I'm just trying to get an idea if it was 15,000, or 100, or 50, or what kind of membership you have.
With your perspective on the EU, what's your thought on the WTO decision not supporting Canada's intervention on the seal industry?
Chairperson, Fisheries Community Alliance, As an Individual
Intervention on what?
Conservative
Ron Cannan Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
The seal industry and the WTO decision to support the EU.
Chairperson, Fisheries Community Alliance, As an Individual
Do you mean Canada's intervention on that?
Chairperson, Fisheries Community Alliance, As an Individual
Canada's intervention on that has been as useful as you-know-what.
We've had a sealing industry that was very important to the northeast coast of the province and Labrador for hundreds of years. It's been knocked out of existence, and the Government of Canada, as you can in fact read in this morning's paper, is dedicated to protest to the WTO and all the rest.
I can find at least 500 of those in the last 25 years, and it's a useless, useless effort that Canada has made to try to.... It wouldn't be, except for the fact that there is a rising tide, if you like, of people across this country who are beginning to realize that the ban against the selling of seal products is basically wrong. Great efforts have been made, and accomplished, to make it a humane operation.
In fact, that particular coast has lost the jobs of hundreds of its people involved in the sealing industry.
I can tell you that it will never recover on the basis of what's happening.
Conservative
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
The time has gone.
Go ahead, Mr. Chisholm. You have five minutes.
NDP
Robert Chisholm NDP Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS
First of all, let me say welcome to the presenters.
Mayor Savage, you're doing a fantastic job as mayor, and I wish you a long and fruitful career as mayor of our municipality. I think many people would join me in saying that.