Mr. Speaker, I take this opportunity to tell you about another excellent government initiative.
On May 2, the secretary of state responsible for Canada Economic Development announced a $1.4 million program, in co-operation with the Quebec government, for the voluntary buyback of the last commercial salmon fishing licences on the Lower North Shore. The federal government will contribute $700,000 under that program.
With this initiative, the Canadian and Quebec governments are following up on their commitment to the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization to limit interception fishing as much as possible, so as to reduce its impact on migration corridors.
This initiative will also promote the development of sport fishing which, according to estimates, will generate annual economic benefits of about $2 million in the Lower North Shore region.
This shows once again that Canada is a country that works, contrary to what some may think, to their own detriment.