House of Commons photoLost her last election, in 2021, with 37% of the vote.
Fisheries and Oceans May 11th, 2021
Mr. Speaker, we are committed to working with first nations to make sure they are able to implement their rights.
As members know, the Nuu-chah-nulth won the court case last week. We are committed to working with them to make sure they are able to get out on the water as quickly as possible.
Canadian Coast Guard May 11th, 2021
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that the Coast Guard has the tools it needs to do its very important work. That is why, last week, we were pleased to announce the construction of two new Polar icebreakers, one to be built at Seaspan in Vancouver and the other in Quebec at Davie Shipbuilding.
The construction of these ships is going to support over 3,000 jobs across the country, including in places like Heddle Shipyards in Ontario and Genoa Design in Newfoundland and Labrador.
These icebreakers are critical to the north, and we are committed to ensuring the Coast Guard has what it needs.
The Environment April 27th, 2021
Mr. Speaker, we support enhanced reporting to ensure we are on track to meeting our newly announced national determined contributions for 2030. To this end, we have proposed embedding Canada's new target for 2030 directly into the act, which is 40% to 45% below 2005 emission levels.
Climate change is an urgent issue and we must work together on it. We hope the Green Party will support the bill at second reading so that we can continue to work constructively to further strengthen the bill.
Fisheries and Oceans April 27th, 2021
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague for his hard work with regard to his advocacy for fisheries and seafood workers right across the country.
There are seven million people living in our rural coastal communities, and we know how important our small craft harbours are to our communities. That is why our government is investing $300 million through budget 2021 to make sure we can renew and revitalise these small craft harbours, which are so critical to our coastal communities. I am proud to be part of a government that recognizes how important this is to rural Canada.
Questions on the Order Paper April 21st, 2021
Mr. Speaker, the proposed regulations to implement the Fisheries Act Fish Stocks provisions, sections 6.1–6.3, recently went through the Canada Gazette, part 1, CG1, 30-day public comment period. Fisheries and Oceans Canada, DFO, is currently examining the feedback received.
With regard to parts (a)-(g) and (i), as the process to develop the proposed regulations is still under way, DFO may not comment on any specific changes that might be made to the regulations based on the public feedback received. However, the member’s points in (a) through (i) will be taken into account as DFO continues to review the comments received on the regulations during CG1.
With regard to part (h), the indicators used to track progress towards rebuilding plan objectives will depend on the particular objectives set for a stock in its rebuilding plan and the nature of the stock assessment for the stock, as the latter will determine the types of indicators that can be used. Thus the indicators may vary by fish stock. As an example, if an objective is to promote the growth of a stock’s biomass to a certain amount, estimated in tonnes, within a certain number of years, then the indicator would be the estimated biomass. DFO would estimate the biomass as part of the scheduled peer-reviewed science stock assessment process for the stock. If the biomass cannot be estimated for a certain stock, then other indicators may be used to determine progress to promote the growth of the stock. For example, for a salmon stock, the department may estimate the number of fish that return to a river or lake to spawn or the number of eggs per square metre laid in a riverbed.
Finally, with regard to part (i), DFO is committed to the conservation and sustainable use of Canada’s fish stocks and ensuring that Canada’s fisheries are managed sustainably using the best available scientific information. The department is also committed to taking actions aimed at rebuilding fish stocks that have declined and remains committed to implementing Canada’s policy for the conservation of wild Pacific salmon.
Fisheries and Oceans April 19th, 2021
Mr. Speaker, the decision with the intention to phase out fish farms by June of 2022 in the Discovery Islands was not an easy one to make, but it was based on the outcomes we had after a number of discussions and consultations with the seven first nations in the Discovery Islands.
We have seen the court's decision on the transferring of fish. That injunction in no way changes my decision to phase out farms in the Discovery Islands by June of 2022.
We will continue to work with the first nations, industry and the province on the best path forward.
Fisheries and Oceans April 19th, 2021
Mr. Speaker, it is extremely disappointing to see the member opposite politicizing a Supreme Court-affirmed right for first nations communities. We have been working with first nations, as well as with industry, to communicate our plan for this year, which is to make sure we have as many harvesters on the water as possible in a safe and efficient manner in order to sustain the fishery as we work toward long-term agreements.
The only person who seems to be confused by my decision is the member opposite.
Fisheries and Oceans April 13th, 2021
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask my hon. colleagues to please stop spreading malicious rumours, basically.
These are ongoing negotiations we are having with first nations communities so we can get to a long-term agreement. First nations have a Supreme Court-affirmed right to a moderate livelihood fishery. We are working with them to make sure they are able to exercise that right.
In the interim, we have put measures in place that allow the moderate livelihood fishery to take place this year.
Fisheries and Oceans April 13th, 2021
Mr. Speaker, we recognize that first nations have a right to a moderate livelihood fishery. This was affirmed by the Supreme Court of Canada. The measures that we have put in place for this year are flexible and allow fishers to get out on the water right now, as we work toward longer term agreements.
These are ongoing negotiations with first nations communities. I look forward to having agreements in place.
Fisheries and Oceans April 12th, 2021
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague for his hard work, working with harvesters, as well as the seafood sector in his riding.
I am pleased to announce that our government put in place new measures to strengthen the independence of our hard-working interim licence-holders in Quebec and Atlantic Canada to ensure that economic benefits stay with them and within their communities. By enshrining the policies of owner-operator and fleet separation into law, we will be able to ensure that the revenue from the fisheries stays in our coastal rural communities.