Mr. Speaker, on March 13 a Canadian Coast Guard employee was seriously injured while attempting to rescue an ill stricken fisherman from the Bay of Fundy.
A constituent of mine, Mr. Ian McBride, is an engineer aboard the Digby based coast guard cutter. Attempting to transfer the ill stricken fisherman from his vessel to the coast guard vessel, Mr. McBride fell overboard and was pinned between the two vessels that were being smashed together by high winds.
It is precisely these types of rescue missions that members of our fishing communities have come to depend upon. Instead of drastically cutting their existing budget, resources should be reinvested in the protection of our fishers.
Despite the recent downturn in the fishery, our West Nova economy continues to depend on the support of industry for its social and economic well-being. Our fishers deserve to be protected by a well equipped coast guard. I call upon the government to reinvest resources in this program.