Fisheries committee  I think what you're getting at is the enforcement piece.

Fisheries committee  I think the minister did speak a little bit to that earlier. He said it was something he's looking at. We don't have specific—

Fisheries committee  There are a variety of elements to the question you've asked. Internationally, we're engaged in fora around illegal and unreported fishing. Domestically, in terms of, for example, ensuring that we're aware of the recreational catch, we have engaged in a series of consultations on the east coast around establishing a recreational licence, seeking the views of harvesters there, and that's an important step in seeking further information.

Fisheries committee  There are very limited.... Vancouver Aquarium would be the key facility that immediately comes to mind that—

Fisheries committee  I can't speak to that.

Fisheries committee  As mentioned earlier, I think some of the amendments the House has passed in Bill C-68 will accomplish—if you will permit me to say it—probably two-thirds of the objectives. The amendments in C-68 would prohibit the minister from issuing a permit to capture a whale within Canadian fisheries waters for the purpose of public display, as well as allow the government to create an import prohibition for new whales to be brought in.

Fisheries committee  I think there are a number of interactions that in particular our Pacific region has with the Vancouver Aquarium. One of the things that I can highlight is that they are a partner of ours in a program that is within my area of responsibility related to marine mammal response programs, so they do assist the department in terms of marine mammals in distress and going out assisting with the response on those animals.

Fisheries committee  I can't speak to international comparisons around provisions related to wild capture. I don't know if my colleague can speak to Criminal Code provisions.

Fisheries committee  I can't speak specifically to whether scientific research conducted at one of those particular facilities you've referenced has contributed anything, but I'm not on the science side of our department.

Fisheries committee  I'm not aware of the rationale for the policy.

Fisheries committee  The provisions in Bill C-68 that sort of parallel the objectives of Bill S-203 are entirely within the scope of the Fisheries Act. As I mentioned earlier, it would basically prevent the minister from authorizing, essentially, the capture of a cetacean from Canadian fisheries waters for public display purposes—which we haven't done since the 1990s—as well as provide the government with a regulation-making authority that could then be used to close the door on the import of any new animals brought in for those purposes as well.

Fisheries committee  I can start, and I'll probably pass it to my colleague from the Department of Justice. Within the scope of the Fisheries Act, our mandate doesn't really fall within the scope of regulating activities that occur within an aquarium. As I mentioned, for example, the Province of Ontario has enacted legislation banning captive breeding of orcas and even the holding of orcas, as I understand it, with the grandfathering of the one currently in captivity at Marineland.

Fisheries committee  In essence, C-68 would create two provisions. In no particular order, the first would eliminate the ability for the minister to issue a licence for the taking into captivity of a cetacean for public display purposes, for example. Whales would no longer be able to be captured in Canadian waters for those purposes.

Fisheries committee  I think it's just me. Good afternoon. I would like to thank the committee for the invitation to speak to Bill S-203, an act to amend the Criminal Code and other acts (ending the captivity of whales and dolphins), also known as ending the captivity of whales and dolphins act. This bill proposes amendments to the Criminal Code, the Fisheries Act, and the Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act, WAPPRIITA.

Fisheries committee  I guess the answer would be not specifically, although nothing would preclude a government from making such a request to the minister in a non-legislative way.