Mr. Speaker, perhaps the minister is not aware that there was a delegation of people here from British Columbia yesterday representing half a million commercial fishermen, people in small communities who do not agree with his plan.
When I asked him the other day if he would set quotas before implementing the buy back he said "regrettably not." What is regrettable is the total disregard the government and the minister continually show for the fishermen on the west coast.
The minister has the power to delay the buy back until the quotas are set. Why he is refusing to do so I do not know. Why is he refusing to ensure the stability of the industry and the stable income of families that depend on the fishery?