Gail Shea

[Fisheries and Oceans, October 27th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, does the member have a problem hearing? He obviously did not hear what I said.

He intentionally mis--

[Fisheries and Oceans, October 27th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the small fish protocol is actually within science advice.

However, I want to make the House aware that the hon. member went to the press a few weeks about our herring policy and about the seiner policy. He led people to believe that we are allowing more small fish to be fished.

I want to point out that it was the Liberal government back in 1998 that put in place a 35% small fish protocol, which we actually lowered.

[Questions on the Order Paper, October 19th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans has not allocated any funding to the marketing of Atlantic fishery products. Marketing of food products is the responsibility of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

[Fisheries and Oceans, October 8th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, some reasonable members with no political agenda have expressed a desire to call additional witnesses before the fisheries committee. This is a reasonable request and we are reasonable people. Therefore, we will delay ratification for another few weeks so that the fisheries committee can hear from more stakeholders. That is reasonable.

The Liberal Party should start standing up for fishers in Atlantic Canada and Quebec even if it is unpopular in Toronto.

[Fisheries and Oceans, October 8th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, our government fought hard for Canadians' interests at NAFO. If opposition members were serious about discussing the amended convention, they could have used some of their opposition time.

Nevertheless, those committee members who actually care about the impacts on Newfoundlanders and Labradorians and are not killing the stronger treaty for pure political opportunism, have requested more time. That is no problem.

The Liberals should stop playing games and stand up for the fishers in Newfoundland and Labrador.

[Fisheries and Oceans, October 7th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, since 2006, our government has invested $61.4 million in the health of the oceans, government-wide. Additionally, we have invested $170 million over five years to the Pacific commercial integrated fisheries initiative. We have initiated a climate change science initiative by reallocating $400,000 per year to study the impacts of climate change and ocean acidification.

We are looking after the oceans.

[Fisheries and Oceans, October 7th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, if it is urgent, why is this the first time the hon. member has raised the issue in the House?

I have talked to many British Columbians. I have heard requests for a summit on salmon. I have also heard requests for other measures to address the issue of the low sockeye returns.

Planning is currently under way, as I have said, and a government response is forthcoming. This is a very serious matter and it warrants a very serious response.

[Fisheries and Oceans, October 7th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I want to point out for the hon. member that the mandate for these amendments was the result of the work of an international ministerial conference on the governance of high seas and fisheries, which took place in May of 2005. We all know the party that was in government at that time.

[Fisheries and Oceans, October 7th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I certainly do understand the implications of the amendments and that is why we support them.

I want to remind the hon. member that these amendments came into being with the blessing of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It was at the table and agreed with them. Since that time, Newfoundland and Labrador has done a 180° turn on its position.

It is very disappointing that Newfoundland and Labrador has changed its mind on these amendments. On the word of the bureaucrats who were in charge of NAFO, when it was failing Newfoundlanders and—

[Fisheries and Oceans, October 6th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, all decisions at this year's NAFO meeting were made within scientific advice and with the full participation of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

I want to remind the hon. member that according to the Newfoundland industry the decisions taken at NAFO will put an additional $11 million into the Newfoundland economy. I do not know why an MP from Newfoundland would not support coastal Newfoundland fishers.