Dave Van Kesteren

[The Economy, March 4th, 2010]

Madam Speaker, I listened with great interest to my colleague from St. Catharines. Among all the other wonderful incentives that were brought forward in the throne speech, I caught the mention of shipbuilding. Both of us share a shipbuilding tradition in our ridings. This is very important for my riding of Chatham-Kent—Essex.

Could the member further elaborate on the government's plans and what we can expect to see as a result of this new initiative in shipbuilding?

[Employment Insurance, November 6th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, I am very proud to announce that Bill C-50 has received royal assent.

This means that unemployed long-tenured workers can now receive between five and twenty extra weeks of EI while they search for a new job. These Canadians have worked hard and paid premiums for years. They deserve our support now when they need it most.

Unfortunately, the Liberal leader voted against support for these Canadians and their families. He needs to explain why he does not think these Canadians, who have given so much to our country and so much to our economy, are deserving of this support.

When it comes to helping Canadians and their families weather the global economic storm, Canadians know that they can count on our Conservative government to deliver results.

[Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, September 29th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I, too, listened to the member's passionate speech and I thank the member for his passion. In my riding of Chatham-Kent—Essex there is a refugee family that came from Colombia about 10 years ago. Yaneth, who was a prosecuting attorney, was driven out of her country by the corruption. I know that she was so pleased to meet with the Colombian president. I want to tell the House how thrilled she is about the prospects.

What does the member see as the future for law-abiding people in Colombia? What can they expect with this new agreement?

[Highgate Fall Fair, September 29th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, last Saturday, September 26, I was pleased once again to attend the Highgate fall fair.

Highgate is located at the eastern border of my riding of Chatham-Kent—Essex, a charming village founded by Scottish settlers in the mid-1800s. It has celebrated the harvest with a country fair for the last 155 years.

This year we started with a parade, then enjoyed the local politicians squirm as they tried to outbid each other for an award-winning pie and then wandered about checking children's agricultural displays, animal attractions, old farm equipment, antique cars and fire trucks. We capped it off with some really great country barbecuing of hotdogs and hamburgers.

It was a great time again this year at the wonderful Highgate fair that has been enjoyed for 155 years.

Congratulations Highgate. We will see Highgate again next year as it celebrates 156 years of country hospitality.

[Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, September 15th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, I want to direct the line of questioning to something the member was talking about concerning the importance of trade in this hemisphere and to contrast that with what we have done in the past.

Could the member touch on the impact President Chavez is having on some of the other countries with what he is doing as opposed to what Canada plans to do through free trade?

[Patent Act, June 12th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity to address Bill C-393, An Act to amend the Patent Act (drugs for international humanitarian purposes) and to make a consequential amendment to another Act, which aims to modify certain fundamental aspects of Canada's Access to Medicines Regime.

Canada's Access to Medicines Regime's stated purpose is to improve access to lower cost, Canadian-made generic versions of patented drugs and medical devices to address public health problems in developing countries. It was designed to achieve this humanitarian objective, while respecting Canada's international trade obligations and maintaining the integrity of Canada's patent system.

Members of the House view Canada's Access to Medicines Regime as a key component of Canada's long-term approach to addressing serious public health problems that affect many developing and least developed countries, such as HIV-AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other epidemics. In addition to Canada's Access to Medicines Regime, this approach includes significant contributions from the Government of Canada to other global mechanisms and alliances which have come into existence in recent years and have become leading instruments for procuring lower cost drugs to respond to the needs of developing and least developed countries.

For example, the government has contributed more than $500 million to the global fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. It has also pledged another $450 million to the fund over the next three years. In addition, the government is working with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to fund the development on an HIV-AIDS vaccination.

The government has serious concerns with Bill C-393's proposed modification to the regime's legislative framework. If passed by Parliament, the bill will result in the elimination of many of the key operational elements in Canada's Access to Medicines Regime in order to adopt a very broad, one-licence approach. This could have serious negative implications for continued pharmaceutical investment and growth in Canada. In addition, many of the bill's proposed legislative changes may not be in keeping with the spirit of the World Trade Organization decision on which Canada's Access to Medicines Regime is based.

This decision was the result of years of intensive international negotiations by members of the World Trade Organization. Those negotiations sought a solution to international patent obligations that impeded the export of critical medicines from countries with pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities to countries without.

In August 2003, WTO members reached a landmark decision. They agreed to waive two of the patent obligations in the WTO's Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, known as TRIPS, in order to improve access to patented drugs and medical devices needed to address public health problems in developing and least developed countries.

Canada's regime is one of the nine regimes in existence to have implemented the World Trade Organization decision, but it is the only one to have successfully authorized the export of drugs to a developing country. This important event occurred on September 24, 2008, when a Canadian drug manufacturer, Apotex Inc., sent approximately seven million tablets of HIV-AIDS therapy to Rwanda.

In 2007 the government completed a statutory review of the regime as part of this process. It reviewed all public input in Canada's Access to Medicines Regime. That input included the extensive written submissions received in response to a 2006 consultation paper on the regime, expert testimony heard at separate hearings by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology in April 2007, and I was a part of that committee, as well as input from developing countries at a workshop organized by non-governmental organizations.

In December 2007 the Minister of Industry tabled a report on the results of the statutory review in Parliament. The report concluded that insufficient evidence was accumulated to warrant making changes to the regime at that juncture.

This conclusion remains valid today, since the case for making legislative or regulatory changes to Canada's Access to Medicines Regime has still not been made. The fact that Canada is the only country today to see drugs shipped to a country in need under its access to medicines regime demonstrates that our system does work.

However, for Canada's Access to Medicines Regime to be used again, another country in need must inform the World Trade Organization of its intent to import lower-cost versions of patented pharmaceutical products under the terms of the August 2003 WTO decision.

The government has and continues to encourage developing and least developed countries to use the system and hopes that such a notification happens. In the meantime, however, it will continue to support Canada's access to medicines, while fighting diseases and helping improve public health conditions in the developing world through other initiatives in the government's long-term comprehensive strategy on access to medicines.

It is for these reasons that I urge all hon. members of this House not to support Bill C-393.

[Business of Supply, May 28th, 2009]

Madam Chair, I would like to thank the minister for her excellent explanation of the central role that Canada and DFO play at the international table. Clearly, collaborating with other nations is necessary to further press Canada's interests forward while providing the best results for Canadians.

It is important that we continue to consider the environment and the sustainability of our waters, and we must do so together with other countries, as well as at home in Canada.

This was touched upon briefly, but could the hon. minister provide another example of what DFO's international work has achieved in terms of sustainability of key fish stocks, particularly Pacific salmon?

[Business of Supply, May 28th, 2009]

All right, Madam Chair. Let me wrap up by saying that DFO's work is central to these efforts that are important during these difficult economic times.

The House can be assured that our government will continue to lead and collaborate with like-minded countries. This government will promote and defend our interests and produce the best results for Canadians.

I do have a number of questions that I would like to ask the minister.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans is working with international organizations and other countries around the world on issues that affect our waters. Our oceans and fresh waters are an integral part of our national landscape and provide so much for Canada and Canadians.

I am interested in knowing more about how having our country at the table benefits Canada and its citizens. Could the minister please elaborate on this and explain to the House and Canadians the tremendous results achieved by actively pursuing our international strategy?

[Business of Supply, May 28th, 2009]

Madam Chair, did you say I have another five minutes?

[Business of Supply, May 28th, 2009]

Mr. Chair, I am very privileged to be here this evening to discuss the estimates. I am also privileged to be on the fisheries and oceans committee. Some would ask what a southwestern Ontario boy would be doing on that committee. For those who do not know, Chatham-Kent—Essex has the largest freshwater fishing port in the world.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans is responsible for the management of freshwater and ocean reserves on behalf of Canadians. This work touches our country and its citizens from Newfoundland and Labrador to British Columbia, from the Great Lakes to the high Arctic, but DFO also plays an important role in defending and advocating for our nation's interest in the international sphere.

Allow me to provide some information on DFO's international activities in support of the department's mandate.

Canada has three oceans, the world's longest coastline and a strong reliance on balancing use and conservation of our resources. This is true in both our national waters in areas beyond Canadian jurisdiction. Canada exports more than 80% of its fish and seafood, or $3.9 billion last year, which is Canada's largest food export. For these reasons, Canada influences international debate and practice in a strategic way.

Sustainability continues to be an important issue to Canadians and to many people around the globe. In fact the world has never been more attuned to its changing environment or more intent on conserving its resources. Consumers have become savvy.

In the case of world fisheries, the United Nations estimates that about 80% of them are fully exploited, overexploited or depleted. By the year 2030, there will be a shortfall of aquatic food in the neighbourhood of 30 million tonnes per year. Clearly, Canada has significant interests to protect and advance, and international engagement is critical.

DFO works in a complex policy and management field that involves multilateral, regional and bilateral work and is increasingly dominated by new players, power arrangements and new issues. Canada has interests to both advance and defend, to ensure ocean industries, particularly responsible fishing activities, remain viable.

DFO enforces Canada's domestic fisheries legislation in our national waters and takes part in the regional fisheries management organizations, RFMOs, such as the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization, NAFO, which manages fish stocks on the high seas outside Canada's 200 mile zone.

To guide its international work, DFO has several key priorities, including ending overfishing, improving the way the world manages high seas fish stocks and ensuring healthy ocean ecosystems. The department also works to help keep Canada safe and secure and helps ensure a well-functioning trading and commercial system that guards and protects Canada's interests.

Ultimately, DFO's international strategy considers all stages of the international fishery to support the long-term health of the world's shared oceans and fish stocks. It also helps ensure that the fishing sector can demonstrate its responsible use of the world's ocean resources. This ocean-to-plate concept incorporates sustainable fisheries, sustainable industry and sustainable ecosystems.

To advance Canada's objectives, our government builds relationships and strategic alliances with key countries, both developed and developing. This includes frequent informal contacts as well as formal meetings with key like-minded countries and decision makers.

Canada also presses the international community for improved sustainable oceans management at the United Nations and through other international organizations that allow us to urge action on overfishing and sustainable fisheries and defend against calls for actions that might gain media attention but are otherwise impractical.

In fact, DFO has achieved a remarkable degree of success over the last number of years in managing fisheries and oceans resources, in particular, advances in stopping foreign vessels from overfishing, which as mentioned, has been a key priority for our government. This government made a commitment to finally deal with the long-standing problem of weak rules and poor follow in NAFO. Canada had clear objectives and would not compromise.

As a result of Canada's strong enforcement presence, significant improvements to monitoring, control and surveillance measures adopted by NAFO in 2006 and strong cooperation between Canada and many fishing partners, there has been a steep decline in serious illegal fishing incidents in the NAFO regulatory area.

This drastic positive shift came about thanks to the determination that this government brought to the table in its talks with our international partners. Once common ground and a united sense of purpose were found, we were able to successfully tackle illegal overfishing for the long-term benefit of the stocks and harvesters alike. It was a promise kept.

Canada is also active in the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, ICCAT, and is pressing international partners for better management of eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean bluefin tuna fisheries. Canada works with and encourages all ICCAT members to implement conservation and enforcement measures that will lead to better adherence to fisheries management rules.

Canada also works with its partners to support sustainable use of marine resources. Through the 2006 United Nations General Assembly sustainable fisheries resolution, states agreed on the need for better protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems, VMEs, from significant adverse impacts of bottom-contact fisheries. DFO played a leadership role during these negotiations to ensure that provisions would be practical and effective and is now playing a leading role in implementing these provisions in NAFO.

In particular, DFO has been instrumental in the successful adaptation of measures to protect vulnerable marine ecosystems such as seamounts and deep sea corals in the NAFO regulatory area. These new requirements for fishing vessels engaging in bottom-fishing activities are essential to ensure that fishing is responsible and respects the aquatic ecosystem. More and more, countries are becoming aware of the need to consider whole ecosystems when interacting with marine environments.

In addition to these very important efforts through international organizations, DFO has signed several memoranda of understanding, MOUs, with countries such as Portugal, Norway, Spain, Chile and Russia. These MOUs support Canada's own efforts to ensure the conservation and sustainable international management of global marine resources and to better control fisheries off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador.

For example, DFO signed an MOU with Norway last May, which demonstrates the commitment of our two nations to work together in advancing technical, scientific, economic and enforcement activities. This agreement demonstrates how our government is working hand in hand with our Norwegian partners to address issues faced in our oceans, which touch Canadians from coast to coast. This shared experience and information benefit both countries and the international organizations to which we belong.

Another agreement with Chile involves aquaculture, an industry worth nearly $1 billion per year in Canada. The MOU signed in March 2008 strengthens our two countries' commitment to sustainable aquaculture development. DFO is working collaboratively on matters that touch the sector, including technical, scientific and economic issues, so that we can create an even more resilient and sustainable aquaculture industry.

Closer to home, our government promotes Canadian interests and negotiations with our neighbour to the south, the United States. DFO has successfully completed agreements on issues that touch both of our countries, including the recent renewal of the Canada-U.S. Pacific Albacore Tuna Treaty. Given the highly migratory nature of albacore tuna stocks, the tuna treaty allows Canada's tuna harvesters to fish and land their catches in the U.S. while also permitting American harvesters port privileges in our country.

DFO is continuing to monitor the harvest and is taking efforts to ensure that the stock is healthy and that the fishery is sustainable, which I am pleased to say is the case.

Earlier this year, our government also renewed parts of the Pacific Salmon Treaty that expired at the end of 2008. The renewal means Canada and the United States will continue their joint management of Pacific salmon resources. This supports the long-term conservation and sustainability of Pacific stock--