Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to table a petition from Canadians who are deeply concerned about growing foreign ownership of our commercial fisheries.
The petitioners note that while the Department of Fisheries and Oceans is mandated to protect the stability and viability of Canadian fishing operations, in the Pacific region, there are no limits on the foreign acquisition of licenses and quotas, nor does Canada track the citizenship of those involved. They argue that this lack of oversight undermines Canadian-owned operations, hurts harvesters, families and coastal communities, and conflicts with reconciliation efforts as first nations seek access. Foreign ownership also threatens food security and reduces Canadian fish processing jobs.
The House of Commons fisheries committee, in 2019, recommended that fisheries remain a common property resource for Canadians. The petitioners call on the government to immediately ban further transfers of Canadian licenses and quotas to foreign interests.