Mr. Chair, I thank the member for New Westminster—Coquitlam for having a perspective from British Columbia and talking eloquently about an east coast issue says that we share a common bond. We want to help fishermen.
One of the things that struck me about the member's speech was that he demonstrated a connection with some of the leaders in the east coast industry. He spoke directly with them and they explained to him some of the ways that we can do this better. It appears to me that, based on his conversations and on what they told him as to what the government was doing, there seems to be a disconnect.
We can do this better and we can do this more easily but we are not doing it, which I think is the lesson that comes out of area 19 that the member for Cape Breton—Canso referred to. That is a model of excellence. It is a model of how the fishery can be conducted but we are just not doing it.
I heard some heckling from the other side when the member for New Westminster—Coquitlam said that these were made in Ottawa decisions. The other side said, “No, they are not”.
I have an example. In area 23 crab, the regional director for DFO actually put out a memo to every crab fisherman saying that the 50:50 crab sharing split will occur in 2009. The regional director said that a month before the plan was torn up.
Therefore, if that decision was not made in Ottawa, where was it made? I think the member knows that made in Ottawa decisions that contradict the very groundwork done by DFO personnel in the region itself is not very helpful.
I ask the member what he thinks about that.