Mr. Speaker, I remind the minister that on March 29 he said: "A reduction of 50 per cent of the commercial fleet in British Columbia is necessary to promote conservation of the resource. Conservation is our top priority".
Two days ago in the House he said: "The plan may not result in fewer fish caught". He admitted the plan is a complete failure even before it starts, yet his government is recklessly going ahead with it anyway.
Why is the government pursuing a plan that will destroy the livelihoods of thousands of fishermen and B.C. coastal communities when the minister has admitted in the House that the plan will not work?