David Anderson

[Boating, February 3rd, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, there are some 200 Canadians killed in some 6,000 boating accidents annually. The hon. member is quite correct that this carnage should stop.

We have introduced new measures that follow the consistent coroners' reports in every province and territory following individual incidents which call for more training and for more and better safety equipment onboard boats.

These measures will not be intrusive. They will be easily complied with and will cut deaths on the water, which are quite unacceptable to the government.

[Fisheries, February 2nd, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Fundy—Royal for his letters last month and in December.

No decision has been made with respect to establishing the mussel farm. We are on a committee with the province and interested parties. If it appears as a result of the committee examination, discussion and ultimate decision that an environmental assessment is necessary, I will look at the Fisheries Act and the Navigable Waters Protection Act and will proceed from there with the appropriate environmental assessment.

[Fisheries, December 7th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member for some time now has repeated these remarks.

I should point out that there was a red zone around the Charlottes. Two experimental fisheries were allowed. One was a sports fishery and one was a commercial fishery.

The exploitation rate was so low, the death of the coho was so far below 1%, that our scientists decided is was insignificant from the point of maintaining stocks.

[Fisheries, December 7th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the program for coho recovery was very successful in British Columbia last year. We have had improvements in just about every area. The numbers are not as good as we would have liked on the north coast with respect to the upper Skeena River where, of course, there is interception by Alaskan fishermen.

In addition, there are some problems in the upper Thompson which remain, but overall it was outstandingly successful and the measures taken dramatically improved the situation over what would have been the case had we not taken those difficult measures last year.

[Lobster Fishery, December 4th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I certainly welcome the hon. member's interest in this issue. I can assure him that only yesterday I was in consultation with the premier and minister of fisheries of Nova Scotia. I have also been in consultations with my colleague the solicitor general.

We will be setting up joint federal-provincial task forces to work on the lobster smuggling issue. We will not simply be doing that at the site of the boats and the docks. We will be going after trucks. We will be going on the highways and will be at the border. We will be going after restaurants. Anybody who buys poached lobsters can be sure that they will be prosecuted.

[Ice Breaking, December 4th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I certainly am. I would like to add to what I said earlier on the subject of ice-breaking fees. First, there will be no moratorium on fees. They will enter into effect on December 21 as originally planned. In addition there will be no changes to the constitutionally protected ferry runs, but for the levels of cost, they will be reduced for ferries 60% over the original proposal, and it will be 50% for other ships.

[Ice Breaking Policy, December 4th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, as I often said over the past two weeks, I intend to take a close look at the fees for ferries. I will reduce the fees by 50% for the coalition, and by at least 60% for ferries.

[Ice Breaking Policy, December 4th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I do keep my word. As I told the House over the past two weeks, we carefully considered the alternate proposal made by the shipping and industrial coalition of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence.

I am pleased to announce today that we have accepted the coalition's request to reduce fees. The new fees will come into effect on December 21. The objective will be to reduce the fees by 50%.

[Fisheries, December 2nd, 1998]

Certainly, Mr. Speaker, I will withdraw the reference. I will say—

[Fisheries, December 2nd, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, a complex system was put in place last summer—