Gail Shea

[The Environment, September 15th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, we have been clear that projects will only move forward if they are safe for Canadians and safe for the environment.

TransCanada has not submitted the construction of a marine terminal in Cacouna for review to the National Energy Board. That is why it has not reviewed it.

At this stage, the only work being conducted in the area is exploratory in nature, and it has been carefully reviewed by DFO experts and authorized contingent on very strict conditions.

[Fisheries and Oceans, June 12th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, this government has done more than any other government in history for the fishermen.

We have invested in the lobster industry. We have invested in rationalization. We have invested in trade deals that will significantly improve the price for the fishermen at the wharf.

[Main Estimates, 2014-15, June 10th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I certainly appreciate the member's comments on the Senate. The province of Newfoundland and Labrador has, of course, some very effective senators. Coming from a small jurisdiction as I do, we certainly appreciate all the representation we can get in the House here in Ottawa.

I do believe that transparency and accountability will happen in the Senate. It should have happened a long time ago, but I think it will happen as a result of all the current woes of the Senate.

Given the political landscape, the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, for example, has no representative on the federal side of government, but it does have Conservative senators. I wonder if the member could comment, because he did say they are regional representatives. Does he see these senators having any role in benefiting their province?

[Questions on the Order Paper, June 10th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, including the Canadian Coast Guard, does not track information related to the streamlining and consolidation of offices and jobs.

[Fisheries and Oceans, June 5th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the confusion is on that side of the House. I regret that ice and weather conditions have affected fishers in some areas of Atlantic Canada, but if conditions remain as predicted, the one remaining closed area will open at 6:00 a.m. tomorrow. However, weather and ice conditions are unpredictable, so I do urge fishers to exercise caution.

I must say it is surprising to hear this new-found concern for fishers coming from this member, who once referred to fish processing plants as stamp factories and said that dependency on the federal government “has slowly rotted outport life to the core”.

[Fisheries and Oceans, June 4th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, DFO takes its mandate to protect marine life and habitat seriously. This work was reviewed by expert DFO officials, and it was determined that it would not result in any serious harm to protected marine life, including belugas.

Nonetheless, TransCanada is required to adopt several mitigation measures, including an exclusion zone. I understand that TransCanada has also decided to suspend work until provincial authorization is delivered.

[The Environment, June 3rd, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, despite the opposition's claims, our amendments to the Fisheries Act strengthen fisheries protection.

We are focusing more of DFO's time and resources on projects that could have an impact on commercial, recreational, and aboriginal fisheries that are so important to many of our rural communities.

Our changes also make penalties tougher in order to punish those people who actually break the law by causing serious harm to fisheries. These changes will also cut red tape while protecting Canadian fisheries.

[Fisheries and Oceans, June 2nd, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, this report also acknowledges that our government has made significant progress in the area of marine protection. We have designated three new marine protected areas and have created three national wildlife areas, including the world sanctuary for bowhead whales. This commitment was reiterated in our latest economic action plan. As a result, the Prime Minister recently announced our new national conservation plan, which includes $37 million to strengthen marine and coastal conservation.

We are getting the job done.

[Questions on the Order Paper, May 26th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, with regard to (a), the requests ranged from permitting a certain percentage of overall fleet quota to be harvested during the closure through permitting certain gear types to continue to fish through the closure to permitting certain areas to continue to be allowed to be fished and varying the closure period depending on fish quality. With regard to (a)(i), the fleets were represented by the following groups: the Groundfish Enterprise Allocation Council, or GEAC; the Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union, or FFAW; and the Fixed Gear Offshore Harvesters association, or FGOH. The following individual licence-holders were in attendance: Miawpukek First Nation, from Conne River; Icewater fisheries; and Ocean Choice International, or OCI. With regard to (a)(ii) and (a)(iii), the requests were presented at a meeting chaired by DFO officials held on February 19, 2014, in St. John’s, at which all fleet sectors engaged in the 3Ps cod fishery were in attendance. With regard to (a)(iv), all fleet sectors requested some form of flexibility on the existing closed period in support of efforts that would increase market opportunities for the industry and in light of the fact that less than one-half the total quota has been taken in recent years.

With regard to (b), DFO’s science branch advised that the latest 3Ps cod science assessment has indicated the stock may have recovered to its upper stock reference point. This latest advice indicates significant strength in the recovering stock, which may warrant additional flexibility in the closure in the interest of further market development for the industry. Science is engaging in co-operative science work with France in respect of St. Pierre et Miquelon on the efficacy of closures and conducting additional scientific research into the reproductive behaviour of the stock throughout the season.

[Fisheries and Oceans, May 26th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, we are committed to long-term support of the salmon fishery in British Columbia, which is why we established the commission in the first place.

We have introduced several measures that are consistent with recommendations from the commission, which include the moratorium on aquaculture developed in the Discovery Islands.

We are investing $25 million in the recreational fisheries conservation partnership fund. All of the revenues from the salmon conservation stamp will now be provided directly to the Pacific Salmon Foundation for use in its projects. We are providing $54 million to enhance the regulatory certainty for the aquaculture sector to provide greater support to science directed at aquaculture.