Debates of Nov. 24th, 2020

Fisheries and Oceans—Main Estimates, 2020-21

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Madam Chair, the issue that is getting the most attention, and one of the most serious on the east coast, is the conflict between first nations fishers and commercial fishers. One of the areas I hear the most concern about, and it comes both from departmental staff as well as fishers both commercial and indigenous, is the lack of enforcement capability within the department.

Madam minister, could you give an opinion on the level of enforcement capability in the department? Is it adequate to do the job that we expect it to?

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

Again, I remind the member to pose the questions through the Chair.

The hon. minister.

[Bernadette Jordan, Liberal, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Madam Chair, the C&P officers have a very difficult job, but they do a very good job. We did see cuts under the previous government to C&P, but we want to ensure they have the tools they need to do the jobs they are given.

I know that conservation is a top priority for not only commercial harvesters, but for indigenous people as well. We want to ensure we have a long-term sustainable lobster fishery. That is one of the reasons we need to work to address the concerns around a moderate livelihood and implement the right that was granted under the Supreme Court decision.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Madam Chair, I would ask the minister to elaborate a bit more on this. There were cutbacks in the department in the area of protection and enforcement. Is this a priority that she sees within the department under her ministry, in continuing to staff the department higher in that area?

[Bernadette Jordan, Liberal, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Madam Chair, under the previous Conservative government, there were significant cuts to DFO in a number areas, including science, and conservation and protection. We have reinvested in DFO to make sure that we have what we need in order to do the job that is so important in our coastal communities. We have to make our decisions based on science, and yet the cuts that were made under the previous government made that very difficult. We have reinvested to make sure that the science is available to us.

With regard to conservation and protection, we know how important those jobs are on the water and to our rural coastal communities. We are doing everything we can to make sure that we support the conservation and protection officers.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Madam Chair, could the minister elaborate a bit on Mr. Surette's role, whom I view as a very credible individual to advise you on this issue? You indicated earlier that he was going to report to you at a particular time frame. Could you just explain a bit to the House his role as it relates to you, as the minister? He is not doing the negotiations on moderate livelihood, but it is my understanding he is advising you and meeting with the commercial fishers.

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

I can advise the member that nobody is advising me at this point. I would ask him to use the word “she”.

The hon. minister.

[Bernadette Jordan, Liberal, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Madam Chair, the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and I both appointed Allister Surette to act as a special representative in this issue with regard to moderate livelihood.

Mr. Surette is a well-respected member of his community. He has experience in fisheries files in the past. His job is going to be to meet with commercial harvesters, to meet with first nations communities and to meet with stakeholders like the municipalities to find out what the best path forward is in order to rebuild relationships, in order to provide clarity to industries—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Madam Chair, could the minister be clear to the House, as was asked several times before, regarding the commercial fishery. Who has the responsibility in the department to ensure that the rights of the commercial fishing industry and the owner-operator policy that our government enshrined is taken into consideration during these negotiations and that the commercial fishers' rights are protected?

[Bernadette Jordan, Liberal, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Madam Chair, I have met with commercial harvesters on a regular basis throughout all of this, listening to their concerns. Making sure that we hear from them is extremely important to me, as is making sure that Mr. Surette also has the ability to talk to them, so that when he files his interim report at the end of December, we will have another voice heard.

We know how important it is to have the commercial voice at the side table. That is one of the reasons we are listening to them. We want to make sure that we address the concerns that they have.

I am committed to hearing from commercial harvesters, and that is why I continue to meet with them.

[Yves Robillard, Liberal, Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC]

Madam Chair, I see that there is funding for ships in the main estimates.

Can you give us an update on the capacity of the Canadian Coast Guard?

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member must address the Chair.

The hon. minister.

[Bernadette Jordan, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries]

Madam Chair, the Coast Guard continues to make progress on fleet renewal through the national shipbuilding strategy.

In 2019, the most significant investments in Coast Guard history were announced and included the construction of up to 24 new large vessels. All three offshore fishery science vessels have now been delivered, representing the first class of large vessels delivered through the national shipbuilding program. The Coast Guard is also renewing its small vessel fleet, with eight search and rescue lifeboats and two channel survey and sounding vessels delivered in recent years.

It is extremely important that the members of the Coast Guard have the tools they need to do their important job.

[Yves Robillard, Liberal, Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC]

Madam Chair, the Conservatives made cuts to DFO and to science.

Can the minister tell us a little about how the government is supporting science at DFO?

[Bernadette Jordan, Liberal, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Madam Chair, more than 2,000 DFO science employees research and monitor our oceans and our aquatic ecosystems across the country. Over 90% of DFO science employees work outside Ottawa.

Under the previous Conservative government, there were significant cuts to science. We reinstated a number of those positions. It is extremely important that we base our decisions on science.

In keeping with promoting women in science, technology, engineering and math, nearly 50% of DFO science employees are women. DFO science—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member for Marc-Aurèle-Fortin.

[Yves Robillard, Liberal, Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC]

Madam Chair, our oceans are shared with the entire world.

Can the minister tell us more about what Canada is doing with its international partners to protect the oceans?

[Bernadette Jordan, Liberal, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Madam Chair, this year we signed on with the Global Ocean Alliance to make sure we are committing to protect 30% of our oceans by 2030. This is an international effort to make sure that we are doing everything we possibly can to make sure our oceans are sustainable for the long term.

This is a commitment that we made as a government. We will hit 25% by 2025, and 30% by 2030. At this point, we are already at 14%, and we know we have more work to do.

[Yves Robillard, Liberal, Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC]

Madam Chair, the Prime Minister gave the minister a detailed mandate letter in which he set out ambitious targets for the protection of the marine environment.

Can the minister inform us of the progress that has been made with respect to the marine conservation targets?

[Bernadette Jordan, Liberal, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Madam Chair, in 2015, when we first formed government, less than 1% of Canada's oceans were protected.

We set an ambitious target of 10% by 2020. We exceeded that. We are almost at 14%. We know there is more work to do. We are now committed to protecting 25% of Canada's oceans by 2025, and 30% by 2030.

We know that the sustainability of our oceans is extremely important and that is why we are going to continue to make sure that we make these important conservation targets.

[Yves Robillard, Liberal, Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC]

Madam Chair, the conservation of fish stocks is extremely important for achieving a sustainable fishery.

What initiatives has DFO implemented to protect fish stocks?

[Bernadette Jordan, Liberal, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Madam Chair, as I said in my opening remarks, one of the most important priorities for this government is restoring the health of wild salmon stocks and other important fish stocks across Canada. That is why our government announced an additional $107 million to support the implementation of stock assessments and rebuilding provisions in the renewed Fisheries Act to sustain Canada's wild fish stocks.

We are working on publishing and supporting regulations. We have launched fish funds across the country to support our regions, including the B.C. salmon restoration and innovation fund and the Quebec fisheries fund, both of which are modelled on the very successful Atlantic fisheries fund. These are supporting projects focused on building resilience through restoration, promotion and science partnerships, innovation and the adoption of technologies.

Last month, I was happy to also receive the delivery of our third and final oceanographic—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The time is up. I am sure that the hon. minister will be able to add during the next question and comment.

The hon. member for Manicouagan.

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Manicouagan, QC]

Madam Chair, I have several questions for the minister.

I was not able to talk about Quebec's port facilities in committee. As the minister surely knows, many communities in Quebec and in my north shore riding have no road connecting them to the rest of the world or the continent.

Be it the Magdalen Islands, the iconic Anticosti Island or the lower north shore that borders Labrador, port facilities are central to the history and the economic and social development of these communities and to the lives of first nations. In short, we evolved in symbiosis with the St. Lawrence River.

The minister probably also knows that the Premier of Quebec is very interested in port facilities. In his book entitled Cap sur un Québec gagnant, François Legault wrote that Quebec needs to be able to count on the federal government to take on its share of responsibility, especially when it comes to wharf maintenance, which falls under federal jurisdiction.

According to Mr. Legault, the federal government's disengagement in recent years has rendered the situation completely unacceptable. Some wharves have become so dilapidated that they no longer meet the needs of recreational boaters, even though those wharves are an important part of the economy and very identity of towns and villages along the river. Unless this situation is remedied, it could cost Quebec dearly.

Does the minister agree with what the Premier of Quebec said?