Loyola Hearn

[Fisheries and Oceans, February 9th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I am working with my willing colleagues on both sides of the House and with my provincial counterparts, industry, first nations and NGOs to ensure we do a good job on modernizing the act, protecting the fishery and fish resources, which are public, not private resources.

Most people are willing to work with us because they know the act should be modernized, except the NDP members who as usual are off track. I heard them brag earlier about winning a single seat in Ontario yesterday, while they were wiped out in three elections in Newfoundland, where the Progressive Conservatives had three landslide victories.

[Fisheries and Oceans, February 2nd, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, it would be extremely difficult to dance to music like that. The member is completely and utterly out of tune, as he usually is.

Let me say to the hon. member that the fish is a public resource. It is owned by the people of Canada and managed by us. It will not be turned over to the private sector.

The revised act would ensure that individuals who are licensed to fish that resource will fish it for the benefit of the people of Canada.

[Fisheries and Oceans, February 2nd, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, those were very interesting comments from the member. Last year, when the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans had the choice of whether to deal with the Fisheries Act or take up the main problem that it should be dealing with, the northern cod in Newfoundland and Labrador, that member voted to deal with the Fisheries Act because it was so important to bring in a revised Fisheries Act.

We brought in a revised act, one that his provincial government supports, one that the Atlantic provinces support and one that fishing groups support. Everybody supports it except him.

[Fisheries Act, 2007, December 13th, 2006]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-45, An Act respecting the sustainable development of Canada's seacoast and inland fisheries.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Fisheries and Oceans, December 13th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, let me assure the hon. member that the government is very supportive of conservation. The government will also ensure political accountability. The government will protect our fish stocks. The act is 138 years old. Part of the coastline was not even in Confederation when it was brought in. That is why today I will be tabling a new fisheries act.

[Fisheries and Oceans, December 4th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, what the hon. member is talking about is a dispute that has gone on for a number of years about fishing grounds between Quebec and Prince Edward Island and the area fished for years by fishermen from Prince Edward Island.

We had an independent study done by an arbitrator, agreed to by both sides. He came in with a report recommending that P.E.I. be allowed to fish on the grounds. We accepted that report because it was the right thing to do.

[Fisheries and Oceans, December 4th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I went to the forum at the invitation of the minister of fisheries from Quebec because he wanted to bring together the total Quebec industry so we could concentrate on putting the industry on a sustainable footing. We went there to listen to people.

I hoped I would hear some good things from the hon. member, but I did not.

[Government Appointments, November 29th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for his suggestion. We will certainly take note of it.

[Government Appointments, November 29th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I find it very amusing that a person who in a day from now will be supporting the only Liberal leadership candidate who is dead set against ACOA would be complaining about the hiring. The people who are hired are highly qualified people, including highly qualified and heavily involved women. What does he have against that?

[Fisheries and Oceans, November 23rd, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the member should know that the company involved went through an environmental assessment. It also developed a compensation program to offset any loss of fish or fish habitat. While we protect habitat, we must also support economic development. Unlike the NDP, if it were left up to that party, our natural resources would not be developed and we would still be catching fish in baskets. How would it ever pay for the social programs?