Mr. Speaker, I am going in the same vein and I was speaking on a point. My friend just alluded that this bill has no teeth. This government has argued that it had to follow the UN convention. That is what this legislation is all about.
Last April just before the government called the election, it tabled enabling legislation for the same bill, but ironically these same clauses were not there. The minister at the time did put some teeth into it, the very same legislation. I notice some of the members on the opposite side are shaking their heads. I would offer that legislation to them. They are welcome to contact me and I will give them a copy.
This was negotiated in 1995. They brought in the enabling legislation in 1996 and it died on the order paper when the election was called. I remind members that we can put some teeth in the legislation and it is beyond me why the current minister has watered it down so it has no effect. It is supposed to allow our enforcement officials to have the ability to act when foreign nations are fishing illegally and breaking our rules. UN conventions allow them to act.
We all know when the Estai was fishing illegally in 1995 that is what they did under the Coastal Fisheries Protection Act. The new legislation takes all the teeth out of it. They have to get permission from the flag state before they can lay a charge.