Madam Speaker, our government remains committed to reconciliation with first nations and acknowledges that in the past, anchorage locations were selected for reasons of safety and security of the ship and at a time when consultations with first nations were not required as they are today.
The past practice was abandoned in the early 1990s, and since that time there has been no process for the identification and designation of new anchorages. Since then as well, Canada's population and economy have grown and the number of ships arriving at our west coast has increased. Our government recognized a need for a new framework for the selection and management of anchorages outside ports, one that would include many more considerations than in the past.
In response to the changing needs of Canadians, in 2017, we launched the national anchorages initiative as one of the many projects within our unprecedented oceans protection plan. The project when completed will deliver a new modern anchorages selection and management framework, which will respect the rights of first nations and take into account the impacts of an anchorage on the surrounding communities and the environment.
The objectives of the anchorage review are to: develop a practical process to identify anchorages; analyze and respond to environmental, economic and cultural concerns now and over the long term; draft a best practices at anchor manual; and recommend oversight management options for these anchorages.
As we move forward, I want to assure the Penelakut Nation that the views and comments of their nation will be included and considered in the development of a modern anchorages framework for all of Canada.
Our government is committed to the safety and environmental protection of marine communities, something the previous Harper government did not adequately address. Under our new oceans protection plan, we are developing a sustainable national anchorage framework that responds to environmental, economic and cultural concerns.
The national anchorages initiative is just now beginning its detailed work and will be seeking the input of first nations, other levels of government, as well as industry and coastal communities in the weeks and months ahead.