House of Commons Hansard #35 of the 43rd Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was chair.

make surechairpersonal informationdatasupply managementprivacy commissionerfisheries and oceanssmall craft harboursfirst nationsgoing to continueextremely importantfisheryprotectionwild pacific salmoncoastal communitiesaddress the concernsfishaquatic invasive speciesdigitalcommercialprotectc-11fishingorganizationsharvestersnumberbusinessesensureusecompaniesconsentdfoindustrystocksrightidentityscienceknowconsumerconservation

Topics

Fisheries and Oceans—Main Estimates, 2020-21Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:10 p.m.

NDP

The Deputy Chair NDP Carol Hughes

I do want to remind the member to address the questions to the Chair.

The hon. minister.

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Fisheries and Oceans—Main Estimates, 2020-21Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:10 p.m.

Liberal

Bernadette Jordan Liberal South Shore—St. Margarets, NS

Madam Chair, I want to thank Senator Christmas particularly, who made the amendments to those clauses to which the member has referred. That strengthens the act and the language that we use when it comes to first nations rights, section 35.

All Canadians have to learn more about our obligations, treaty rights and what it means to have an affirmed right to fish for a moderate livelihood. We have seen a real interest from people on this issue.

The Supreme Court upheld this decision and we want to ensure we implement it right. That is why we are working with first nations communities. The member of course is well aware of how complex the issue is. He has lived it himself. He knows there is still work to be done and we are committed to doing it.

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Fisheries and Oceans—Main Estimates, 2020-21Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:10 p.m.

Liberal

Jaime Battiste Liberal Sydney—Victoria, NS

Madam Chair, I would like to congratulate the minister on her comments in the committee of the whole tonight. I wanted to ask about the painting in her background. It is quite lovely. I wonder if she could give us some context on the painting and possibly talk a little about the artist.

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Fisheries and Oceans—Main Estimates, 2020-21Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:10 p.m.

Liberal

Bernadette Jordan Liberal South Shore—St. Margarets, NS

Madam Chair, the painting is by Loretta Gould, a Mi'kmaq artist from Cape Breton. It signifies women empowerment. It was done for the women's centre in Cape Breton and I was fortunate enough to get a print of it.

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Fisheries and Oceans—Main Estimates, 2020-21Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:10 p.m.

Conservative

Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB

Madam Chair, does the minister believe that Pacific salmon hatcheries provide a net-positive or net-negative impact on Pacific salmon conservation?

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Fisheries and Oceans—Main Estimates, 2020-21Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:10 p.m.

South Shore—St. Margarets Nova Scotia

Liberal

Bernadette Jordan LiberalMinister of Fisheries

Madam Chair, with regard to the recreational fisheries, we know this has been an extremely tough year. We know that the measures we have had to take to protect chinook salmon have been hard for the recreational fishery. We want to make sure we work with them.

Again, as I have said many times, I am not averse to—

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Fisheries and Oceans—Main Estimates, 2020-21Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:15 p.m.

NDP

The Deputy Chair NDP Carol Hughes

The hon. member.

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Fisheries and Oceans—Main Estimates, 2020-21Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:15 p.m.

Conservative

Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB

Madam Chair, I do not believe the minister heard my question, because she did not even attempt to answer it, so I will ask it again. Does the minister believe that Pacific salmon hatcheries provide a net-positive or net-negative impact on conservation?

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Fisheries and Oceans—Main Estimates, 2020-21Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:15 p.m.

Liberal

Bernadette Jordan Liberal South Shore—St. Margarets, NS

Madam Chair, hatcheries are an extremely important part of our fisheries on the west coast. Making sure that hatchery fish are looked after is a DFO responsibility that we take very seriously. We know how important hatchery fish are, and we will continue to work with small community hatcheries and other hatcheries to make sure they are able to be sustained.

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Fisheries and Oceans—Main Estimates, 2020-21Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:15 p.m.

Conservative

Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB

Madam Chair, can the minister tell us how much time the southern resident killer whales have spent in their designated sanctuary area, to the exclusion of all recreational fishers?

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Fisheries and Oceans—Main Estimates, 2020-21Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:15 p.m.

Liberal

Bernadette Jordan Liberal South Shore—St. Margarets, NS

Madam Chair, the southern resident killer whale is an extremely iconic, important species. We have to do everything we can to protect and recover this species. In recent years, our government has taken significant steps to address the key threats to their survival. We have to continue to work with our partners and stakeholders to protect them.

I am not really sure where my colleague is going with this question, but we are going to continue to take measures to make sure we protect the southern resident killer whales.

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Fisheries and Oceans—Main Estimates, 2020-21Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:15 p.m.

NDP

The Deputy Chair NDP Carol Hughes

I want to remind the hon. member that the House has asked there to be a neutral background when members are presenting before the House.

The hon. member.

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Fisheries and Oceans—Main Estimates, 2020-21Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:15 p.m.

Conservative

Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB

Madam Chair, my question for the minister was about how much time southern resident killer whales spent in their sanctuary area. Surely to goodness, this is one metric that would determine whether the sanctuary area was effective.

Again, can the minister tell us how much time southern resident killer whales have spent in their designated sanctuary areas, to the exclusion of recreational fishers?

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Fisheries and Oceans—Main Estimates, 2020-21Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:15 p.m.

Liberal

Bernadette Jordan Liberal South Shore—St. Margarets, NS

Madam Chair, as I have said many times tonight, I know the conservation measures we have put in place have been extremely difficult for recreational fishers. However, having said that, we will continue to do everything we possibly can to protect the southern resident killer whale. This is an iconic species. It is endangered. We want to make sure that it is here for the long term, for everyone to enjoy. We will continue to work to protect southern resident killer whales.

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Fisheries and Oceans—Main Estimates, 2020-21Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:15 p.m.

Conservative

Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB

Madam Chair, does the minister understand that fishing lodges, guides and rural coastal communities relying on these businesses were devastated by the retention restrictions on chinook, coupled with COVID? Can the minister tell us why the Department of Fisheries and Oceans has not offered them any direct support?

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Fisheries and Oceans—Main Estimates, 2020-21Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:15 p.m.

Liberal

Bernadette Jordan Liberal South Shore—St. Margarets, NS

Madam Chair, I absolutely acknowledge the challenges being faced by the participants in the recreational fishery, including the guides, the lodges and all of the people who make their living from the recreational fishery. However, I also recognize that the chinook are in a desperate situation. We knew they need to be protected. We needed to take tough action. We needed to make sure there were measures in place to—

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Fisheries and Oceans—Main Estimates, 2020-21Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:15 p.m.

NDP

The Deputy Chair NDP Carol Hughes

The hon. member.

As spoken

Fisheries and Oceans—Main Estimates, 2020-21Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:15 p.m.

Conservative

Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB

Madam Chair, mass marking would allow for a mark-selective fishery for chinook salmon, which would be a critical lifeline for these communities. Interior Fraser coho currently have a mass marking and mark-selective fishery and have had one for years, with relative success. Interestingly, it is the interior Fraser chinook populations in that area that are struggling, so if it worked for coho, why is the minister so unsure that it will not work for chinook?

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Fisheries and Oceans—Main Estimates, 2020-21Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:20 p.m.

Liberal

Bernadette Jordan Liberal South Shore—St. Margarets, NS

Madam Chair, we understand there is an interest in a mark-selective fishery. However, my department did not authorize a broad expansion of the mark-selective fishery this year because of several concerns. Among those concerns were the potential risk of increased fishing effort and the increased potential of mortality from hooking and releasing unmarked salmon.

We have to continue to work on consulting with first nations and other interest groups on the mark-selective fisheries and, of course, on hatchery production. We want to make sure that as we go forward with this, we do it in the right way to address the concerns that we are hearing and make sure the stocks are well looked after.

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Fisheries and Oceans—Main Estimates, 2020-21Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

November 24th, 2020 / 10:20 p.m.

Conservative

Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB

Madam Chair, if it is working for coho, why does the minister think it would not work for chinook?

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Fisheries and Oceans—Main Estimates, 2020-21Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:20 p.m.

Liberal

Bernadette Jordan Liberal South Shore—St. Margarets, NS

Madam Chair, as I have said, we have had to take very difficult measures to protect the salmon species. We will continue to take measures. We have seen a rapid decline. It is alarming and concerning to see what is happening with the wild salmon stocks in B.C. We know these measures are difficult for recreational fishers. They are difficult for everybody, but they have to be taken to make sure—

As spoken

Fisheries and Oceans—Main Estimates, 2020-21Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:20 p.m.

NDP

The Deputy Chair NDP Carol Hughes

The hon. member.

As spoken

Fisheries and Oceans—Main Estimates, 2020-21Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:20 p.m.

Conservative

Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB

Madam Chair, I forgot to mention at the start that I would like to split my time with the member for West Nova. Am I at the halfway point already?

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Fisheries and Oceans—Main Estimates, 2020-21Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:20 p.m.

NDP

The Deputy Chair NDP Carol Hughes

The member can ask a very quick question of the minister.

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Fisheries and Oceans—Main Estimates, 2020-21Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:20 p.m.

Conservative

Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB

Madam Chair, what do the minister's constituents tell her, especially those with active knowledge in commercial fisheries, about pinnipeds, their abundance and their effects on fish stocks? The minister was the chair of the fisheries committee and a member of the committee. Numerous reports, by members of Parliament from all parties, came to the same conclusion unanimously that pinniped control is needed.

Where is the minister on this issue?

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