Mr. Speaker, my question today is for the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. When asked to have a judicial inquiry into the current and past practices of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, his response was that an inquiry would be a waste of time and money.
If he fails to hold an inquiry, his portfolio will soon be reduced to the minister of oceans. This government promised written agreements to maintain the income supplement known as TAGS until May 1999, but without consultation it ripped up this agreement which will now expire one year earlier in May 1998.
Will the minister please tell the House that he has recommitted to maintain the TAGS program to its promised contractual date of May 1999?