Mr. Chair, I will take advantage for an opportunity to ask 10 minutes of questions to the minister followed by questions from the member for Madawaska—Restigouche for 5 minutes.
I would like to know several things. The fishery is clearly in crisis, that we do know. Not only is the lobster fishery in crisis but the crab and shrimp fisheries are as well. In fact, for nearly every commercial fishery in Canada today harvesting costs are exceeding the price fishermen are getting at the wharf.
Would the minister respond to the new challenges facing the fishery by ending the collection of licence and monitoring fees and refund the millions of dollars that have already been taken from the pockets of people who have serious trouble paying the bills they already have, yes or no? Will licence and monitoring fees be ended?