Fisheries committee  First of all, I don't believe the scientific information telling us that we only have 300,000 tonnes in the ocean. I've been on the Grand Banks. My son is on the Grand Banks. They're fishing, when they get some fish to catch—we're not talking about cod now—and the waters are full.

Fisheries committee  I want them to understand that's it's a cod and that's snow crab.

Fisheries committee  First of all, I'm a strong believer in a business sense. I don't like the idea of financial support to an industry from government dollars. I was a business person myself, and I was also, as you know, a politician. I can assure you of one thing. For all of the fishermen I talk to—and that's many fishermen every year—give them the opportunity to fish, and they will provide the tools they need.

Fisheries committee  The principle of adjacency was adopted by the federal Liberal Party at the last convention. “Adjacency” means involving those people who are adjacent or closest—if you want to use the word “closest”—to the stocks. They've just made a decision on shrimp. The shrimp stock is in trouble in certain areas, and they had to make some major changes.

Fisheries committee  I have to ask one question, and I think this is the key to the whole meeting this morning. Three hundred thousand tonnes of fish is what science is saying is in the water. You people just gave us that information. I've read it many times. The one thing I've never seen, which I'll ask you to look for when you go back to Ottawa, is this: have you seen a scientific report that supports the point that there are 300,000 less or more cod?

Fisheries committee  Could I make a point very quickly? I don't want to take up other people's time. The other big difference in Canada—and if you go back through my time in federal and provincial politics, you'll find that I talked about it every single week—was that 10 years ago we had an estimation of 10.5 million harp seals, plus the grey seals, plus the hooded seals.

Fisheries committee  My first thought is very clear: what is the inshore fishery? After all these years, that's the question that has not yet been answered in Newfoundland and Labrador. If the inshore fishery is the 65-foot boat—right now, there's the 89-foot, and it's down to just small boat fisherman and the bays—I would agree with it.

Fisheries committee  First of all, I don't think there was much difference in the problems in Newfoundland and the problems in Norway. The biggest thing that catches my attention is that they had solid signs from day one. They were well equipped to recognize that there was a problem in the fishery, and the scientific information backed it up.

Fisheries committee  I'll try to keep it to 10 minutes. First of all, welcome to the beautiful Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. I'll begin in this way: you're going to hear me speak in a different language—and I mean that sincerely—with passion. I was born in Port de Grave, one of the largest fishing communities on the island of Newfoundland and in Labrador.