Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to say a few words about our supplementary report.
Canada has the largest, most geographically diverse coastline in the world. Applying a one-size-fits-all comparison to what other countries are doing or experiencing with respect to marine protected areas would prove problematic and ill-advised. A rush to expediently designate interim MPAs to capitalize politically on the international stage does not take into consideration those isolated communities along our coast.
Time and again we heard from witnesses who were not consulted by the Liberal government. By refusing to listen to stakeholders and by accelerating the process of creating MPAs, the Liberal government has replaced established processes for building consensus with expediency, serving a partisan interest.
Truly sustainable MPAs require a delicate balance upholding principles of conservation, indigenous rights, common resource, and the interest of all Canadians both today and in the future.