Mr. Speaker, a noisy House is particularly difficult for quiet-spoken members like me.
Canadian fishermen indeed were pleased to receive from the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization 60 per cent of the turbot quota at the meeting in Brussels. They thought it appropriate that the Spanish fleet fishing under the EU flag received an appropriate level of allocation, in this case 13 per cent.
We want to work with the European Union to see this conservation plan put in place in a responsible fashion. The Department of Foreign Affairs has taken the lead in making Canada's view known.
We have heard reports that the EU may object to the NAFO decision and set unilateral quotas. That is not acceptable to Canada. The last time the EU set unilateral quotas they destroyed flatfish stocks and northern cod. Canada will not stand by and see more stocks destroyed.