Madam Speaker, as always, I welcome the opportunity to respond to some of the comments made by my friend from Cardigan. It allows me to outline some of the measures being taken by Fisheries and Oceans Canada to help our fisheries and maritime sectors grow and ensure that our aquatic ecosystems are protected for future generations.
Have we made changes in the way we do business? Of course we have. Modernization is essential to a stable, prosperous and sustainable fishery.
Over the summer and fall, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans travelled from coast to coast to coast meeting with key players from the fishing industry to discuss how the department could support the growth and sustainability of the industry. He spoke to stakeholders, whose interests lie in aquaculture and wild fisheries, and heard their views on licensing, sustainability, conservation, export markets and all the other important issues that were especially important to these fishermen.
These consultations helped shape the plan changes in how the department operates, changes that will come into effect over the next three years to ensure we continue to protect our ecosystems and build a more competitive fishing industry.
Some of the things we can expect to see include accelerated progress toward a more modern economically and ecologically sustainable Canadian fishing industry, modernization of fisheries management programs, increased use of modern navigational services and a department that appropriately focuses on core mandate responsibilities.
My colleague has raised a number of specific issues. I could respond to all of them, but I think it would be important to refer to the actual memo to which he refers. It is a memo that came out of the deputy minister's office, signed by her, the associate deputy and the commissioner of the Coast Guard, to employees of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. It begins by saying:
As you will know, Fisheries and Oceans Canada is pursuing a dynamic change agenda that will transform many of the ways in which we and our stakeholders do business. Over the past year, we have taken advantage of opportunities to advance modernization of our organizational model as well as many of our programs, services and business practices. Today, we are providing you with further information on initiatives that our department will be undertaking to pursue our modernization goals and, in turn, help to support the Government of Canada's priorities.
He referred to one of them in his comment in his question to the minister back in October. He said, “we are slashing”, I think that was the word he used our large ocean management area program and science and other things. Here is what she had to say about that. As she cites some examples of the modernization that is taking place, she said:
Realigning our oceans management responsibilities by winding down Large Ocean Management Areas pilot projects, now that we are in a position to begin applying integrated oceans management approaches as part of our regular operations.
She was not saying anything about the end of large ocean management areas as part of our program, but just these pilot projects, now that they will become part of our regular operations. She said:
Focusing aquaculture science activities on issues relevant to the Department's regulatory duties in relation to fish health and environmental interactions in order to strengthen our capacities in these areas.
Finding efficiencies and simplifying how science is managed, for example, by aligning our science resources to reflect the transition to an ecosystems approach to science....
I hope my colleague agrees with these approaches that are important.
This approach means a greater emphasis on science working in teams to address complex, interrelated issues affecting fish, fish habitat and the integrity of aquatic environments.
In fact, the modernization ship is sailing and I encourage my colleague from Cardigan to get on board.
