Herb Dhaliwal

[Fisheries, September 25th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, let me first say that the lobster fishery has been managed extremely well. In fact, lobster fishermen over the years have greatly benefited from the excellent management of the lobster fishery.

In terms of Miramichi Bay, I am happy to inform the House that our enforcement action resulted in 1,351 traps being removed from Miramichi Bay to protect the resource, without confrontation and without conflict. I think that is good news. We can now continue our work to protect the resource. I have always said that conservation is our number one priority and we will continue to make sure the resource is protected for all Canadians.

[Fisheries, September 22nd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, first let me say that when the hon. member was on this side of the House her questions were much better than they are now.

The other point is that I do not know where she has been because our plan has been laid out. In fact the former federal fisheries minister, Mr. Crosbie, said that our plan was working and that we should stick to it.

Just last week I received a letter from the hon. member for West Nova saying “Allow me to commend both you and your department for the tremendous efforts you have devoted toward enforcing fisheries regulations along the coast of Burnt Church and New Edinburgh”. This is a letter from the member for West Nova, a member of her own party, just last week.

[Fisheries, September 22nd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, as I responded to this question yesterday, the mediator, the hon. Bob Rae, is meeting with all the parties to look at what options are available for them. A mediator was put forward by Burnt Church and he was exploring the options with the parties.

We certainly did not approve any option which required a payout to the commercial fishermen, but the mediator is looking at all the options he could bring to the table to get a final agreement. Unfortunately we did not get an agreement and we have no agreement at this time.

[Fisheries, September 22nd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I disagree with the hon. member about the situation being hopeless.

I have always believed that dialogue can achieve the objectives we want. I have always believed that co-operation is the way to go. That is why my number one priority is to resolve some of the issues with dialogue and co-operation. That is why 29 out of 34 first nations have signed an agreement. We hope we will get more signed because dialogue and co-operation work. I will not give up on that because I believe that is the way to reduce conflict. That is the way to reduce confrontation.

[Fisheries, September 22nd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said before, I guess he is referring to Burnt Church where we have been working to try to get dialogue and to try to get co-operation. That is what we have been doing for the last couple of weeks and for this year because we wanted an agreement. Unfortunately we were not able to get that. That is why, as a result of our estimates of the amount of catch in Miramichi Bay, we have taken the step of closing the Miramichi Bay to all lobster fishing to protect the resource for all Canadians. I would encourage and plead to Burnt Church to also protect the resource—

[Fisheries, September 22nd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, as usual the member has his numbers all wrong. There are not 3,000 traps in there. There are less than 1,700 traps in the water according to our estimates.

Enforcement action is taken both on the water and on the land. If the traps are not removed, we will have to take enforcement action. I have said that will continue. This will be enforcement action both on the water and on the land, but enforcement action will be taken with due respect for public safety. Our number one concern is to make sure that we avoid confrontation, that we avoid conflict. Unlike the hon. member, we want to ensure that everything is done to avoid a situation—

[Fisheries, September 22nd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I had urged the first nation band of Burnt Church to immediately remove their traps to protect the resource. Of course we will take enforcement action as we did last night. Our enforcement staff did remove more than 100 traps last night. If those traps are not removed, we will ensure that we enforce and carry out the law of the land both on the water and on the land to protect the resource for all Canadians.

[Fisheries, September 22nd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, every effort has been made to get a resolution on this. I have met with the chief and band members. My deputy minister has met with the chief and band members. Mr. Bob Rae has been down there. Our federal representative was involved.

At this time the Miramichi Bay is closed to all fishing because of the threat to the resource.

I am always open to dialogue. Our door is always open. However, we cannot dialogue when people are involved in illegal and unauthorized fishing. If they want to dialogue, they have to stop the illegal and unauthorized fishing.

[Fisheries, September 22nd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, earlier this year I did meet with the chief and his band council members. At that time I urged him to come to the negotiating table and meet with our federal representatives. They were not willing to do that.

Right now in the Miramichi there are conservation threats. The scientists say that there is a threat to the lobster fishery if the fishing effort continues. I would ask that Chief Dedeam and his first nations band, because they believe in conservation, immediately remove all the traps so we can protect the resource. As long as there is illegal—

[Fisheries, September 22nd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, in the long term the real resolution to this is to negotiate an agreement. There are many long term issues that have to be resolved and we are always open to dialogue.

All parties have to accept that there is room for negotiations. Certainly we are always open to dialogue. At the end of the day, the only way this will be resolved is through negotiation and dialogue. Our door is open and we are open to ways we can do that.