Debates of May 30th, 2022

Department of Fisheries and Oceans—Main Estimates 2022-23

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Mr. Chair, I have to say, I want to acknowledge that I am very impressed by the concern the member has for what goes in the waterways.

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Mr. Chair, I am really glad that the minister is impressed with my comments. The most recent letter from the Okanagan Basin Water Board on April 8, 2022, expressed concerns. Does the minister agree with the concerns in its letter?

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Mr. Chair, I am not aware of the letter that the member is referring to.

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Mr. Chair, this letter just came to the minister very recently, so then why is the DFO believing that it is acceptable to authorize the release of deleterious substances to prevent, control or eradicate aquatic invasive species?

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Mr. Chair, any decisions are checked with Environment Canada before they are taken when it comes to chemicals in water.

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Mr. Chair, the Okanagan Basin Water Board said that deleterious substances are “not an effective tool to address invasive mussels in larger waterbodies which are hydrologically connected to large river systems – like we have in the Okanagan”.

Does the minister agree with this statement?

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Mr. Chair, I would say that I agree with the intent to actually manage and reduce the spread of aquatic invasive species.

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Mr. Chair, in addition, the letter notes that Okanagan lakes are a source of drinking water and past experience with chemical treatments of invasive milfoil in the 1970s has shown that “there is no social licence for this method in our local communities.”

Does the minister agree with this statement?

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Mr. Chair, I would say that some people would agree with that statement and some would not agree with that statement. I acknowledge the expertise of the scientists—

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

Resuming debate, the hon. parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Health has the floor.

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health and to the Minister of Sport]

Mr. Chair, it is a pleasure to rise in the House to talk about this important issue. Of course, my riding of Milton is part of the Great Lakes watershed. I spent a lot of time on the water in and around my region, so I have a keen interest in this issue. I appreciate the minister's time and being available to us.

I am thankful for the opportunity to talk about marine-protected areas, or MPAs for the sake of shortening that for this speech, and how vital they are to conserving Canada's rich endowment of marine biodiversity and as a nature-based solution to climate change.

Canada stands proud following the achievement of our 10% marine conservation target in 2020. It is a commitment that Canada and many other parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity have made. Over the past seven years, Canada has conserved more marine and coastal areas than at any other time in history, with almost 14% protection across the Atlantic, Arctic and Pacific oceans, up from less than 1% in 2015.

In July of 2020, Canada joined the Global Ocean Alliance, which seeks to protect at least 30% of the world's oceans by 2030. Through this alliance, we have joined like-minded countries to advocate for the international adoption of a “30 by 30” marine conservation target under the Convention on Biological Diversity at the 15th conference of the parties in September. The government remains steadfast in our renewed efforts to conserve 25% by 2025 and 30% by 2030. We have invested almost a billion dollars to establish new protected areas, to effectively manage existing areas, and to enhance our collaborative efforts with indigenous peoples, provinces, territories, local communities and others. We need to halt and reverse the loss of our marine biodiversity for many reasons, and I am pleased to outline some of those today.

Let me first describe the importance of MPAs. MPAs support healthy marine ecosystems and special features such as underwater canyons, glass sponge reefs, concentrations of corals and hydrothermal vents. These ecosystems provide a range of important ecological, economic and socio-cultural benefits, including biodiversity, improved water quality, support to fisheries inside and outside their boundaries, and new opportunities for education, research and tourism. MPAs help sustain the ecosystems, marine species and biological resources that are relied upon by sustainable industries, local economies and coastal communities, and also support cultural and recreational activities and provide a wealth of spiritual, religious and other non-material benefits.

MPAs can provide many socio-economic benefits as well. They provide a foundation for community-based partnerships and employment opportunities, and where possible they enable new tourism and recreational opportunities. As we establish MPAs, we work with partners and stakeholders to distribute any economic impacts to marine industries in a balanced manner through socio-economic analysis, consultation and collaboration. Planning our ocean spaces collaboratively is the cornerstone of our marine spatial planning efforts. By working with our partners, we can ensure that our ambitious marine conservation goals are met while we simultaneously grow the blue economy.

The science is clear, and Canadians are clear, that we must continue taking strong and serious action on climate change. Canada recognizes that conservation is not only about achieving targets: MPAs must be effectively designed and efficiently managed over the long term so they achieve their conservation objectives. That is why, in 2018, Canada asked a national advisory panel comprised of seven prominent Canadians, including Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, prior to her appointment as Governor General, to travel across this country to hear from politicians, stakeholders and other concerned Canadians to gather their perspectives on how to better establish and manage MPAs. It is also why in 2019, embracing the advice of this panel, Canada announced a new MPA production standard that prohibited oil and gas exploration and exploitation, mining, dumping and bottom trawling in all future federal MPAs.

Beyond supporting ecosystems and species, MPAs make meaningful contributions to the advancement of reconciliation and renewing Canada's relationship with indigenous peoples based on the recognition of rights, respect, co-operation and partnership. Indigenous peoples are partners in conservation planning and management, and our MPAs will continue to respect constitutionally protected indigenous and treaty rights. Our government will continue to look for opportunities to strengthen partnerships with indigenous peoples, and will embed indigenous knowledge with other sciences and MPA planning and design, governance and management.

Let me tell members about the Anguniaqvia niqiqyuam MPA in Darnley Bay. This large inlet, within the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, is one of the most important ecological and cultural regions in Canada's western Arctic.

Its conservation objectives are to maintain the habitat that supports species such as beluga whales, Arctic char, ringed and bearded seals, polar bears and sea birds. This area is also culturally important for the Inuvialuit. They have a strong connection to the land and sea that is vital to their health and well-being, and the Inuvialuit actively harvest traditional food throughout the MPA with two-thirds of the adult population engaging in hunting and fishing. Harvesting activities not only provide an important source of food, but also a means of passing traditional knowledge, skills and cultural pride to the youth of the community. This MPA was collaboratively established with the Inuvialuit and others. Its ongoing governance is with the Fisheries Joint Management Committee and the community of Paulatuk.

We are also continuing to advance conservation networks across priority marine bioregions. As we all know, our regions are interconnected and ecologically linked. Oceans are living, breathing wonders that rely on complex networks of ecosystems to survive, and through the planning and implementation of conservation networks, we can help to preserve the important ecological linkages between one area and another. MPAs and conservation networks contribute to a healthy marine environment by helping to conserve and protect marine species and habitats. They also help to protect the diversity of ecosystems upon which marine organisms depend.

Canada's vision for a sustainable blue economy supports the growth of ocean sectors that provide jobs, are inclusive, advance reconciliation with indigenous peoples and respect regional differences and needs. By creating MPAs and therefore advancing marine spatial planning, we can also ensure that regional priorities, whether those are economic, environmental or social, are reflected in our planning efforts. Marine spatial planning is a key enabler of achieving our blue economy goals, because we recognize that a sustainable blue economy depends on healthy oceans and must be supported by a world-leading conservation plan.

How will we meet this new ambitious 30% marine conservation target together by 2030? We will continue to establish new MPAs and marine refuges while effectively managing those we already have. We will continue to collaborate and build on the many meaningful partnerships already in place and will establish new ones with provincial, territorial and indigenous governments, industry and local communities. We will advance conservation in a marine spatial planning context to achieve socio-economic and cultural objectives as conservation objectives. Finally, we will ensure that our work remains grounded in science, indigenous knowledge and local perspectives.

In closing, I would like to acknowledge that the nationwide, all-hands-on effort it has taken to achieve what we have today is so important. Canada is a maritime nation, today and in future generations. Protecting the oceans is not just for the now; it is also a long-term commitment for everyone to enjoy and receive all of the benefits. It is important for everyone to learn more about protecting our oceans through MPAs and the role they play in climate action, advancing reconciliation with indigenous groups, supporting coastal communities and providing insurance for the availability of biological resources for future economic growth.

Thank you, and I have a couple of questions for the minister.

My first question to the minister is about nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies. Would the minister please explain the benefit of some of our nature-based solutions?

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries]

Mr. Chair, I would like to thank the member for his evident passion and commitment to nature conservation as well as the other aspects of indigenous reconciliation and the economic benefits of such.

I love the term “nature-based solutions”, but I also think about it as ocean-sourced climate solutions. These are actions that protect, sustainably manage and restore ecosystems while providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits, and this is just what an MPA is all about.

Marine protected areas protect ecologically important species, habitats and ecosystems. They improve the health of the ocean. They strengthen its resilience against climate change impacts, such as ocean acidification, coastal erosion, coastal flooding and sea-level rise. As well, they help to grow our seafood diversity and abundance. MPAs also improve coastal defences, such as shoreline buffers and barriers to storms. They help waves disperse and protect reefs. They provide carbon and greenhouse gas absorption through protected habitats such as marshes and seagrass meadows.

The role of MPAs and a climate-resilient ocean are critical reasons why we need to conserve 30% of our oceans by 2030 and ensure their effective management through monitoring, compliance, enforcement, partnerships and stewardship efforts.

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Milton, ON]

Mr. Chair, my second question is on the topic of MPAs. It is evident that MPAs and MPA networks help to conserve and protect marine species and populations, the diversity of ecosystems that marine organisms depend on and special places such as underwater canyons and hydrothermal vents. Additionally, MPA networks also help to protect important ecological links between one area and another, contributing to improved species resilience and adaptation to future pressures. In fact, resilience and healthy ecosystems help to support sustainable industries, local economies and coastal communities. In time, protected areas can be a source of young fish to disperse to other areas and a source of larger and more abundant fish for unprotected areas near MPAs.

An MPA network strategy clarifies our direction for marine conservation so that ocean users will have a clear vision of their potential access restrictions to marine resources. Depending on the important marine life that needs protection, additional activities beyond those already prohibited by the MPA protection centre may be limited or prohibited when they impact meeting an MPA's conservation objective.

Mr. Chair, this past weekend, I had the privilege of being in your neck of the woods in the province of Nova Scotia. I was in Cape Breton. I ran the Cabot Trail relay and had a blast. I did visit the member for Cape Breton—Canso. We had a great chat. I also got to run a relay race around the Cabot Trail and visited a lot of fishing communities. I know how important this legislation is to them, so I thank them for their contributions.

My final question for the minister is this. Would she explain how we determine what additional protection measures are needed within an MPA for continued support of ecosystems such as that around the Cape Breton region?

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Mr. Chair, I thank the member for the glowing reviews of the Cape Breton—Canso area. I think my parliamentary secretary appreciated that very much.

Marine protected areas are an important tool in supporting the local economic prosperity of coastal communities. The question is about how we decide how to protect areas within an MPA. It is by using the best available knowledge. Areas of ecological and biological significance are identified, and protection approaches are advanced, through an extensive process of consultation, engagement and scientific and socio-economic assessments to ensure that the protections will be effective. This will include members of local communities, of course.

Following this process and depending on the MPA's unique conservation objectives, activities may either be allowed, limited or prohibited. Once an MPA is established, the activities that are allowed to occur are managed in an adaptive manner that is flexible in response to ocean changes. An adaptive management approach is conducted with local partners in order to effectively protect over the long term.

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

Mr. Chair, it was interesting to hear the member for Milton, Ontario speak. I am wondering if the minister can let us know if the Kelso conservation area pond is being considered for an MPA.

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries]

Mr. Chair, not that I know of yet.

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

Mr. Chair, we have heard a lot of non-coastal MPs speak here tonight. I am happy to be a coastal MP and ask some questions, and I am proud to be a former fishing captain.

In the minister's first appearance before the fisheries committee, she explained how her experience in the tree planting business prepared her well to be the Minister of Fisheries. Many people in the industry found this to be a bit odd—

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

On a point of order, the parliamentary secretary.

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Mr. Chair, is the member suggesting that coastal MPs somehow have a superior right to debate within this—

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

I think we are getting into debate and I am glad that all members have an opportunity to debate this evening.

The hon. member.

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

Mr. Chair, I do not need coaching when it comes to the fishery, especially from a man from the islands near Lake Ontario.

Could the minister please explain—

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

A point of order, the hon. member for Milton.

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Milton, ON]

Mr. Chair, on a point of order, I am very curious if the member has any idea what a watershed is.

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

Let us all take a deep breath, everybody.

The hon. member for Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame.

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

Mr. Chair, could the hon. minister tell us how her background in planting trees prepared her to be the Minister of Fisheries?