Randy Kamp

[Ban on Shark Fin Importation Act, February 11th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I want to ask my colleague a bit more about the principle behind his bill. He talked about a conservation crisis and used words such as “rapidly declining shark populations”, “pending extinction”, and so on, though there are many shark populations that are quite healthy. If this is the motivation behind the bill, is he suggesting that for other species that might be facing a conservation crisis, let us say tuna, the same approach should be taken and that Canada should ban the importation of tuna?

Would he then suggest that every other country should follow Canada's example and not allow the importation of tuna, which could negatively affect both our own tuna fishers as well as those who fish for shark within Canadian waters? I wonder if he has thought that through.

[PETITIONS, December 12th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise to present this petition from British Columbians.

The petitioners point out that herbicide-tolerant, genetically modified alfalfa needs to be registered but has already been approved for human consumption and environmental release in Canada. The petitioners are concerned that genetically modified alfalfa is currently planted and that unwanted contamination from genetically modified alfalfa is inevitable.

The petitioners call upon Parliament to impose a moratorium--

[Fisheries and Oceans, December 5th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the fact is, she has her facts wrong. When we will have completed the consolidation of these centres, they will have the right number of people, fully trained and in place, to be able to monitor this traffic. These people are not sitting and looking out a window. They are using electronic equipment.

All 214 radio towers and 24 radar facilities will remain where they are to maintain the current level of coverage. The staff who are there will be able to meet the requirements. They will not be overworked, as she has suggested. This will ensure the safety of mariners.

[Fisheries and Oceans, December 5th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to respond to the issue raised by my colleague, the member of Parliament for Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, regarding the changes within the Canadian Coast Guard, specifically those involving the consolidation of 10 marine communications and traffic services centres.

First, I would like to correct the unfounded suggestion that our government does not value the safety of mariners on the Great Lakes and in northern Ontario. We have not forgotten the tragedy of the Edmund Fitzgerald, and that is why the safety of all mariners is and will always be the number one priority of the Government of Canada.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada is becoming a more modern, streamlined and responsive department. The department is committed to examining the way its services are delivered, and this includes making positive changes in the use of its resources with the intention of saving Canadian taxpayers money without affecting the safety of Canadians.

The Canadian Coast Guard will be further consolidating and modernizing its marine communications and traffic services while maintaining the same high level of safety and traffic services. The Canadian Coast Guard is investing in its infrastructure to take advantage of today's technology. With these updates, the same level of service will be delivered from strategically located centres across the country.

On more than one occasion in the last few decades, the Canadian Coast Guard has implemented various technological improvements while ensuring the safety of mariners. New tools and processes are being introduced that will increase the efficiency of operators by diminishing administrative tasks while enabling increased attention to ship traffic safety. The use of advanced communication technologies will ensure that communications services will remain high quality, that resources are tasked efficiently and that the response to mariners in distress is timely.

Consolidation also allows the Canadian Coast Guard to better manage the fluctuating workload at its marine communications and traffic services centres. Better connected centres equipped with modern technology will ensure improved backup capabilities.

Consolidation of marine communications and traffic services centres will be done in two phases. In the spring of 2014, the Tofino, Thunder Bay, Montreal, Saint John and St. John's centres will close. The services provided by the Thunder Bay centre will be consolidated in Sarnia. Vancouver, Comox and Riviere-au-Renard will be part of phase 2. In the spring of 2015, operations are expected to be delivered from the following 12 centres: Prince Rupert, Victoria, Sarnia, Prescott, Quebec, Les Escoumins, Halifax, Sydney, Placentia, Port aux Basque, Goose Bay and Iqaluit.

I would like to assure Canadians and my hon. colleague that the implementation of this initiative will have absolutely no impact on service to mariners. In fact, there will be improved reliability of services due to increased interconnectivity between centres, and larger centres will have a better ability to address service spikes in service demands by having an increased complement of staff.

The Coast Guard has clear workload standards for its marine communications and traffic services officers and these standards will not be increased as a result of this initiative. The workload will be distributed more proportionally between officers on watch at the new consolidated centres. Mariners' safety will not be jeopardized. The Coast Guard has a rigorous and structured certification process to ensure that its front-line officers are fully capable of delivering services in accordance with domestic and international regulations.

Finally, I would like to reaffirm the dedication of Fisheries and Oceans Canada to ensuring the safety of the maritime community.

[Fisheries and Oceans, November 30th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, of course, this is an important issue that the minister and our government is paying close attention to. The minister's officials are working with industry to make sure they get their questions answered, because a sustainable fishery is of key importance to us.

[Fisheries and Oceans, November 30th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the fact is that in 2011, for example, over 96% of clients' requests were addressed virtually, and by that way staff addressed the service from their own desktop. Clients downloaded over 137,000 articles from their desktops and phoned 8,000 times as well. We think this is a good measure.

[Fisheries and Oceans, November 30th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, we are doing what any responsible government would do. We are focusing on providing effective services in the most efficient way possible. We are modernizing where we can and eliminating waste and duplication.

In this case, library users are asking for digital information, so it is logical that Fisheries and Oceans Canada would accommodate that demand by making its collection available in a digital format. The library will continue to deliver services in English and French.

[Fisheries and Oceans, November 29th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the fact is that Canadians are increasingly using electronic sources and the Internet to search for information. Fisheries and Oceans Canada is modernizing its libraries to take advantage of the extensive availability of information and resources in digital form. Even today, most requests are received and delivered electronically, and modernizing our libraries allows for easier and cost-efficient search and access for all clients no matter where their location.

The department's library collection will remain available to its clients both in Quebec and across Canada and services will continue to be offered in French and English. Materials will be scanned and emailed or shipped to requesters while respecting intellectual property rights. The only change, as I said, is the process to search for and acquire them.

[Fisheries and Oceans, November 29th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity to respond to the member opposite on the issue of the closure of the library of the Maurice-Lamontagne Institute in Mont Joli, Quebec.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada provides library services to its staff in support of the department's mandate. The department's libraries contain one of the world's most comprehensive collections of information on fisheries, aquatic sciences and nautical sciences. These very specialized collections also support researchers in other segments of the Canadian economy.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada recognizes that library service is evolving as more and more Canadians are turning to electronic sources and the Internet to search for resources and information. This willingness to look online, coupled with an increasing presence of information online, including electronic scientific journals, has enabled the department to consider consolidating its library resources.

The power of the Internet in facilitating access to library resources is already evident at Fisheries and Oceans Canada. For example, in just one year, over 96% of client requests were addressed virtually. Accessing the service from their own desks, clients downloaded over 137,000 articles. They used the WAVES catalogue over 7,500 times and contacted library staff via phone or email almost 8,000 times.

Complementing this shift is the fact that 95% of the annual library acquisition budget is spent on access to online journals and other digital research tools. The department's library modernization initiative takes advantage of increasingly sophisticated technologies as a preferred means for the availability of library resources.

While the hon. member feels our government is doing away with knowledge, this is not the case. The Fisheries and Oceans Canada entire library collection will remain available throughout two principle locations: Sidney, British Columbia and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. There will also be two specialized libraries to support the Canadian Coast Guard located in Sydney, Nova Scotia and here in the National Capital Region in Ottawa.

In addition, all material in the library collection for which the crown owns copyright can be digitized for a client by staff located in the aforementioned locations. Materials are often available freely in digital form on the Internet provided by international bodies, all levels of government both within Canada and internationally, and research institutes.

On request, portions of publications will be scanned and emailed where allowed by intellectual property rights and copyright law or, failing that, shipped to requesters. In addition, the department will ship entire publications to clients on loan as necessary. Fisheries and Oceans Canada is aware of intellectual property rights, including copyright, of information owners in its delivery of library services to clients and will continue to respect these rights.

In addition, Fisheries and Oceans Canada library services will continue to be offered in English and French. The department's library modernization initiative has been designed to respect this requirement. The French language reference documents to which the hon. member refers will continue to be available on request and there will be permanent, full-time, bilingual staff at the locations in Sidney, B.C. and Dartmouth to meet the demands of Francophone clients.

In conclusion, all currently available library resources will continue to remain available to Fisheries and Oceans Canada clients both in Quebec and across Canada. The only change is the process to search for and acquire them.

[The Environment, November 29th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the data shows in the report that was released in 2012 that Canada is making progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions despite a growing population and economy. The report shows that Canada's overall greenhouse gas emissions in 2010 decreased by 6.5% from 2005 levels, while our economy grew by 6.2% over the same period. These results show that we are effectively decoupling economic growth from emissions growth.

Canadians can be proud of the fact that per capita emissions in 2010 were at their lowest level since tracking began in 1990.