Madam Speaker, the Government of Canada is committed to supporting and strengthening the economies of our coastal communities.
Fishing is an important part of many coastal communities on the west coast. This government is taking steps to actively work with first nations, harvesters, licence holders and processors to explore potential solutions that reflect the unique realities of the west coast.
The Minister of Fisheries recently announced two new objectives guiding work to modernize west coast fisheries. The first is supporting harvesters to have more control over their fishing activities, to keep a greater share of the benefits from fishing. The second is modernizing licensing to support harvesters in pursuing their business objectives. This government will work closely with west coast fishery participants on options for how to achieve these objectives and address the concerns of fish harvesters.
Fisheries on the east and west coasts have evolved very differently. We cannot have a one-size-fits-all approach. This is why this government is working with those involved to develop solutions—