Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise to present a complementary report to the report on Pacific salmon.
As the fisheries committee has studied the state of Pacific salmon over the past 15 months, the evidence we received has consistently pointed us to the stark and inescapable conclusion that the vast majority of Pacific salmon stocks continue to decline toward the point of no return. Throughout this study, the committee has heard of the many threats our Pacific salmon face and witnesses have also identified real, viable solutions that have been provided to the government through DFO, but the government has failed to take timely and effective actions to restore and protect Pacific salmon.
Time after time, the committee heard how the government had ignored proposals for actions that could restore and protect Pacific salmon. In the past year alone, the future of over 10,000 jobs in British Columbia has been cast into great uncertainty and insecurity because the government continues to announce decisions without genuine consultations. It continues to issue decisions that put British Columbian jobs on notice without providing any transition plan for the workers, families and communities affected.
British Columbia's salmon economy is in great peril and this peril will only increase unless the government discards its failed approaches. Money alone cannot reverse the declines. The government must ensure that federal resources are attached to timely and effective plans, management and actions to save our Pacific salmon. Pacific salmon will not survive more of the Liberals' status quo. The time for action and change is now.