Mr. Speaker, let me thank the parliamentary secretary for her reply. I am pleased with some of the actions the department has taken. I do know that the present minister takes this issue seriously.
However, if I were a real estate salesman, I would make a fortune selling oceanfront property in Saskatchewan to the government opposite because it claims there is no problem. Show it a manifest and there is no problem. Absolutely everything checked out with the Otto because somebody flashed the manifest.
During this past week a boat came in to Bay Roberts and flashed the manifest. However, when the manifest was scrutinized and one looked beyond it, one could see all kinds of abuse taking place in the fishing area.
The government is not doing everything it can. It only moved on the Olga because we brought it to its attention. We embarrassed it into making a move. With the Otto , again someone looked at the manifest.
Taking a licence from one boat will not control overfishing. Canada has to exert its influence over the nose and tail and the Flemish cap. How can we do that? We can do it by custodial management, extending jurisdiction or at least by using our position as the adjacent state that we are. Under the law of the sea we have both the right and the duty to exert our influence over conservation and control of the environment. The government has to do more. If it does not, it is the people of Atlantic Canada who will pay the price.