Madam Speaker, the leader of the New Democratic Party says we must try to develop a viable and sustainable fishing industry. Could she give her opinion on the most recent international agreement that Canada signed this summer? I am speaking of the UN fishing agreement. Article 5 of that agreement provides that the signatories pledge to develop and to maintain a sustainable and cost-effective fishery.
My problem here is that Canada must now deal with a requirement from the Supreme Court of Canada to the effect that we must guarantee adequate livelihood to aboriginal people. However, we still do not know what is meant by a cost-effective and, more importantly, a sustainable fishery, in the language and vocabulary used by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Sustainable has to do with the proposed fishing gear, but will it be viable?
What is the expected level of cost-effectiveness, particularly in the context being dictated at the UN by all the countries of the world, including France, the United States, England and so on, and without subsidy? What will this “without subsidy” mean? What do the words “viable” and “cost-effective” currently mean?
Right now, we are asking Gaspé Peninsula fishers to share their resources with aboriginal people. If the court forces them to do it, they will do it, but they will also share their misery. In the wintertime, they have to rely on employment insurance.
How are we going to define the terms “viable” and “cost-effective”? Is the NDP prepared to team up with us to put pressure on the Liberal government to force them to develop that definition? We need it not only to solve the aboriginal crisis, but also to ensure sustainability in the fisheries of eastern Canada.