Now we'll all expect compliments, Mr. Chair.
I will quickly go to my motion. I don't think it will be controversial at all.
There's a National Marine and Industrial Council, as many members know, which is comprised of deputy ministers of Environment Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, and Transport Canada; an associate deputy minister from Industry Canada; and nine industry representatives selected from the chief executive officers of Canadian companies only. This National Marine and Industrial Council advises the government on marine policy. There is about $140,000 a year of taxpayers' money that goes into supporting the NMIC. Very clearly we have a committee that advises the government on policy--a very important, high-powered committee--and it doesn't involve workers from the industry itself.
The motion is simply to rejig the National Marine and Industrial Council so that it will include labour, a broader base of marine and industry stakeholders, and will provide an inclusive forum for Canada's national maritime transportation policy development. It's simply a way of giving better, more inclusive advice to government.
As I say, given that this is funded by our government, it really needs to respond to the stakeholders within the marine industry. I hope it will get support from all four corners of this committee table.