Mr. Speaker, I present a petition from members of the community of Twillingate Island who want more science being infused within the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
Over the past 20 to 25 years, science has taken a back seat in many of the managements decisions. The result of all this comes down to last minute decisions that affect all the communities involved in a social way detrimentally. I have 193 communities in my riding and they are affected, especially along the eastern coastlines.
Therefore, the petition calls for the government to initiate a public inquiry into all aspects of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans with emphasis on fisheries management, dismantling the current state of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and put in place a model that takes into account fisheries science. Indeed, this is essential for these communities, not just for the east coast, but for the west coast as well.