House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2015, with 36% of the vote.
Petitions October 24th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition in support of my private member's bill to strengthen the Fisheries Act, Bill C-228.
The petitioners know that moving from harmful open-net pens to safe closed containment systems will ensure a healthy west coast wild salmon population.
The petitioners are calling on the Government of Canada to pass my Bill C-228 when it comes to a vote later this year.
Business of Supply October 20th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the member if she would not agree that it is critically important to recognize all atrocities committed in the region, not just those by ISIS but also by Syrian President Assad's forces and the opposition militia.
Can the member comment on that? We have heard a lot about the impacts of ISIS, but not much on President Assad and his regime.
The Environment October 17th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, an American tugboat and tanker barge ran aground on B.C.'s north coast. The accident caused 200,000 litres of diesel to spill into a sensitive area. If this had been a fully loaded supertanker, it would have caused massive devastation to our fisheries, first nations communities, and our marine environment.
When will the Liberals make good on their promise to protect our coasts and implement a permanent ban on crude oil tankers off B.C.'s north coast?
Fisheries and Oceans October 6th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, in the last election, the Liberals promised to restore habitat protections to the Fisheries Act gutted by the Conservatives in 2012.
So far, the government has done nothing to restore these lost protections. It is approving projects that impact fisheries habitat still using Harper's gutted version of the Fisheries Act. This week, the environment commissioner revealed that the government is failing to sustainably manage threatened fish stocks.
I ask the minister, will he make good on their promise to immediately restore the lost protections to the Fisheries Act?
Paris Agreement October 4th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, the member stated that inaction was not an option. He went on to talk about what is happening in his riding of Guelph, and he also referenced other countries. However, he failed to mention what concrete action his government is actually taking on reducing climate change and addressing targets.
Committing to the Paris accord is absolutely commendable. As a responsible nation, that is something we must do. However, in my province of British Columbia, the government has also signed off on two LNG energy projects and a massive Site C dam project in the Peace River Valley, and we are hearing rumours that the government is going to sign off as well on the Kinder Morgan project, which is a huge pipeline project. These projects are going to increase greenhouse gases.
These are huge projects and they have been approved under the old Harper Conservative rules. The Liberals made promises that they would make changes to the new rules and go through changing these rules, the Fisheries Act—
Wild Salmon October 4th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, next week, I will be announcing support for my private member's bill to save wild salmon. The bill protects wild salmon and allows the aquaculture industry to grow by moving harmful open-net salmon pens to safe closed containment.
I encourage everyone to join my campaign to save wild salmon by going to findonnelly.ca. In fact, thousands already have. The list of supporters is as diverse as Canada itself.
It includes noted environmentalists like David Suzuki and Alex Morton; and first nation leaders like Grand Chief Stewart Phillip and Chief Bob Chamberlin. I have endorsements from industry associations like the Sport Fishing Institute of B.C. and trade unions like CUPE BC and UFCW local 1518.
I even have support from Stanley Cup champion Willie Mitchell.
That is not all. Tune in next week for an important announcement from a Canadian icon and actor who knows that, together, we can ensure a healthy future for wild salmon and the people who depend on them. Stay tuned.
Fisheries and Oceans October 3rd, 2016
Madam Speaker, the government should immediately drop the appeal. HSMI has been confirmed on the coast of British Columbia, and we need to remove the threat to wild salmon posed by diseased fish.
The government claims to respect science. The Liberals claim to embrace the Cohen Commission recommendations and the precautionary principle. If science can demonstrate the existence of more than a minimal risk, then the government has an obligation to protect wild salmon. The science is clear: wild salmon are under threat from diseases like HSMI.
In closing, would it not make more sense for the minister to remove the threat of disease altogether, to do the right thing, and to transition open-net salmon farms on the west coast to closed containment?
Fisheries and Oceans October 3rd, 2016
Madam Speaker, I am following up on my earlier question this year about the Liberal government's decision to appeal the Federal Court decision to ban fish farms in B.C. from using diseased Atlantic salmon in open net pens. I simply could not understand why the Liberals would continue with this Conservative approach and put wild B.C. salmon at risk.
The minister responded that he would discuss the matter with the Minister of Justice. Following my question and mounting public pressure, the government announced it would be postponing the appeal hearing until October.
Well, it is now October and I would like to know if the government will be continuing with its appeal or if it will do the right thing and protect wild salmon.
Stopping the transfer of diseased fish is very important because heart and skeletal muscle inflammation, or HSMI as it is known, is a serious disease that devastates farmed salmon populations.
Scientific evidence suggests that HSMI poses a serious threat to wild populations. It causes severe lethargy, ultimately robbing salmon of their ability to feed, swim upstream, spawn and rendering them helpless against predators.
Open net farms are located on critical wild salmon migration routes, including in the Discovery Islands. If this disease were to spread to wild salmon, which are already under threat, the results could be catastrophic.
When biologist Alex Morton first discovered the piscine reovirus, or PRV as it is called, which is believed to be the precursor to HSMI in farmed salmon in B.C., the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the B.C. government insisted the virus was harmless.
Alex Morton, with the help of Ecojustice, took the department to Federal Court over its aquaculture licensing practices. The department insisted PRV did not threaten wild salmon.
The court ruled in favour of Alex Morton and ordered the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to stop granting licences that allowed companies to transfer disease-carrying fish into open net salmon farms in the ocean.
The government appealed this decision and was set to return to court on May 26. That is when the government claimed that it needed more time to review the case and announced that it would be delaying its decision until October.
Days later, DFO scientist Dr. Kristi Miller confirmed the presence of HSMI by testing Atlantic salmon samples collected at a B.C. fish farm. This finding confirmed action must be taken to prevent the spread of this deadly salmon disease.
Even if it has dropped its appeal, I hope the parliamentary secretary can clarify a few things for me with respect to the dangers posed by diseased farmed Atlantic salmon.
The government claims to embrace the recommendations of the Cohen Commission of Inquiry. Recommendations 18 and 19 state that if salmon farms in the Discovery Islands pose more than a minimal risk of serious harm, those farms should cease operations, and no new farms should be created.
Will the department respect the precautionary principle and prohibit salmon farming in the Discovery Islands? If not, why does HSMI not qualify as more than a minimal risk?
Questions on the Order Paper September 19th, 2016
With regard to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and the construction of the Site C hydroelectric dam in northeastern British Columbia: (a) how many DFO staff members are responsible for monitoring the project’s compliance with fish habitat protections; (b) how many independent environmental monitors are responsible for the project’s compliance with fish habitat protections; (c) how many onsite DFO inspections have taken place since construction began and when did they take place; (d) how many onsite inspections have independent environmental monitors conducted since construction began and when did they take place; and (f) has the Ministry consulted with local First Nations to measure the impact of the project on their fishing rights?
Questions on the Order Paper September 19th, 2016
With regard to the planned full-time staffing complement of Kistilano Coast Guard Station: (a) how many full-time staff will have Rigid Hull Inflatable Operator Training certification; (b) how many full-time staff will have a Master Mariner certificate; (c) how many full-time staff will be 60 ton or higher certified; (d) how many full-time staff will be 150 ton certified; (e) how many full-time staff will have a Watchkeeper certificate; and (f) will the station be staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year?