Scott Simms

[Business of Supply, May 28th, 2009]

I have a quick question, Madam Chair, before I get into the second part.

Concerning the bycatch quota set in the NAFO regulatory zone, did it increase from 5% to 13%?

[Business of Supply, May 28th, 2009]

Madam Chair, I have a question that comes to me from the Fisheries Community Alliance of Newfoundland and Labrador. I would like to read verbatim what they asked me to ask the minister. They said:

While all groups (governments, processors and the unions) keep pushing for rationalisation of the fishery, excessive debt load is making fishing licences and quotas highly vulnerable (in the longer term) to excessive licence, quota and wealth concentration. Rationalisation means that instead of our small boat fishers chasing the fish, we now have money (through debt accumulation) chasing the fish instead. How is rationalisation good for rural Newfoundland and Labrador--and good for the future of the small boat fishery?

[Business of Supply, May 28th, 2009]

Madam Chair, it has been three years since the courts ruled in the Larocque decision that DFO could no longer fund its scientific activities by selling fish. The decision left DFO with a funding shortfall.

The science branch of fisheries management right now is understaffed and we are eagerly crying for more science studies. What is the government's plan to rectify this shortfall in funding because of the Larocque decision?

[Business of Supply, May 28th, 2009]

Madam Chair, I spoke to a representative of the European Commission and he assured me that it is going to happen. Perhaps we can look into that further to clarify that, because that is a big exemption that we can take advantage of.

Also at this point I would like to talk about NAFO and NAFO reform. The government's acceptance of proposed NAFO reforms negotiated in 2007 seemingly hit a roadblock.

We had many experts who testified on Parliament Hill and other places about how it was going to be detrimental for management, especially when we are talking about custodial management.

The government tried to claim that it had achieved custodial management. My opinion differs from the government's.

One of the unfulfilled campaign promises beyond custodial management was another one that said the government would bring this agreement into the House for debate and vote.

When is that coming, and why has it not been here yet? It has been two years now.

[Business of Supply, May 28th, 2009]

Regarding the seal hunt, I do not need to go into too much explanation, but recently, of course, what has happened is that there is a ban on the importation and the sale on the market of seal products.

Can the minister confirm to the House at this moment, beyond the Inuit exemption, is there an exemption for products transiting through Europe?

[Business of Supply, May 28th, 2009]

Madam Chair, I would like to inform the House that I will be splitting my time with the member for Sydney—Victoria, as well as the member for St. John's South—Mount Pearl.

I have a quick question off the top for the minister. This is more of an administrative question. It was brought to my concern a short time ago.

The area chiefs for small craft harbours in Newfoundland and Labrador are paid less than their counterparts across the country. What steps is the minister taking to rectify the problem, if indeed it is?

[Canada Pension Plan, May 27th, 2009]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-396, An Act to amend the Canada Pension Plan (deductions — disabled child).

Mr. Speaker, as we all know, the Canada pension plan has been one of the great pillars of this nation for many decades. This private member's bill attempts to build in a bit of compassion for those who take the time out of the workforce to look after a disabled child. It allows for the calculation of the contributor's average monthly pensionable earnings for the deduction of months in which a contributor remained at home in order to care for that particular disabled child.

It is an honour to present this on behalf of the constituents of Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Fisheries and Oceans, May 15th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the warmer weather means that the ice loosens up more. He should read the material. That is the way it works. If he is going to talk about this and try to be a climatologist, he should do it right.

As a matter of fact, in this particular situation, I do not think the parliamentary secretary understands how it works.

Now, let us change channels for just a moment and talk about the lobster fishery. The fishers are receiving $3 a pound and they cannot even get out into the open waters.

Will the Conservatives put just a little bit of flexibility in EI and maybe do some buyouts of licences? For the love of God, can we get a bit a compassion from the government?

[Fisheries and Oceans, May 15th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the deputy minister of fisheries and oceans warned fishers not to expect an ice compensation package because “ice is not a factor”.

In the meantime, this past week, several local newspapers published photographs showing tons of ice in hundreds of harbours, blocking in the vessels. People cannot fish and therefore they are unable to even feed their families.

Would the parliamentary secretary stand in this House and admit that the ice is a problem and if he says in this House that ice is not present, then who exactly is telling him that?

[Committees of the House, May 11th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, I am glad my hon. colleague raised that point. When he and I were in Paris, we made what we thought was a compassionate argument. The word “barbarians” was thrown around. However, some members of parliament who were there expressed concern and asked that another look be taken at what we do. We cull animals. In other words, we take nuisance species out of the population. How do we do it? Nobody knows.

I do not know if the member remembers, but one British member of parliament actually stated to the rapporteur, “You know, in my park in my constituency, in my riding, we kill deer. I don't know how we do it, but if we ran into this park with clubs and started clubbing them to death, we'd probably have a big situation on our hands”. Maybe that is what they do. They just do not know.

However, I want to talk about the hakapik. Even the Independent veterinarians' group has stated that the hakapik is a humane way of hunting. When we talk about the Europeans using this, a small part of the hunting population does use hakapiks, but at the same time it has been proven to be humane.

We must remember that these animal rights groups want to eliminate the hunt, period. It has nothing to do with the type of mechanism. It will keep using words likes “hammers” and “baseball bats” and it is absolutely ludicrous.