Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.
Under the latest icebreaker fee schedule proposed by the Canadian Coast Guard, public vessels operated by the federal and Newfoundland governments will have absolutely no fees to pay, while those operated by the Société des traversiers du Québec will have to pay fees whether or not there is ice to break.
How can the fisheries minister justify an icebreaking policy that exempts federal and Newfoundland public vessels but not Quebec public vessels?