FOPO Committee Meeting
Notices of Meeting include information about the subject matter to be examined by the committee and date, time and place of the meeting, as well as a list of any witnesses scheduled to appear. The Evidence is the edited and revised transcript of what is said before a committee. The Minutes of Proceedings are the official record of the business conducted by the committee at a sitting.
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Minutes of Proceedings
Caroline Desbiens moved, — That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans undertake a study on the introduction of a food traceability program to promote labelling and avoid the mislabelling of seafood products and examine its potential impact on the economy, conservation efforts and food safety for Canadian consumers, fishers and producers; that the committee hold no less than four meetings; and that the committee report its findings and recommendations to the House.
After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was agreed to.
Rick Perkins moved, — That the committee request that the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard appear before the committee for a two-hour meeting in the first week of February 2022 to speak to the issues related to her portfolio.
Debate arose thereon.
Mike Kelloway moved, — That the motion be amended by replacing all the words after “That the committee” with the following: “invite the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard for one hour, and senior officials for two hours, to appear in consideration of the supplementary estimates (C) and on the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard's mandate letter at their earliest convenience.
Debate arose thereon.
Mel Arnold moved, — That the amendment be amended by adding the words “and matters related to her department” after the word “letter”.
After debate, the question was put on the subamendment of Mel Arnold and it was agreed to on division.
At 11:28 a.m., the sitting was suspended.
At 11:33 a.m., the sitting resumed.
The debate resumed on the amendment, as amended.
At 11:42 a.m., the sitting was suspended.
At 11:45 a.m., the sitting resumed.
Taylor Bachrach moved, — That the amendment be amended by replacing the words “at their earliest convenience” with the words “before the end of February”.
After debate, the question was put on the subamendment of Taylor Bachrach and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:
YEAS: Taylor Bachrach, Serge Cormier, Brendan Hanley, Ken Hardie, Mike Kelloway, Robert J. Morrissey — 6;
NAYS: Mel Arnold, Caroline Desbiens, Rick Perkins, Clifford Small, Bob Zimmer — 5.
The debate on the amendment, as amended, continued.
Mel Arnold moved, — That the amendment be amended by deleting the words “the supplementary estimates (C), and on”.
After debate, the question was put on the subamendment of Mel Arnold and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:
YEAS: Mel Arnold, Taylor Bachrach, Caroline Desbiens, Rick Perkins, Clifford Small, Bob Zimmer — 6;
NAYS: Serge Cormier, Brendan Hanley, Ken Hardie, Mike Kelloway, Robert J. Morrissey — 5.
The debate on the amendment, as amended, continued.
Rick Perkins moved, — That the amendment be amended by deleting the words “for one hour,”.
After debate, the question was put on the subamendment of Rick Perkins and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:
YEAS: Mel Arnold, Taylor Bachrach, Serge Cormier, Caroline Desbiens, Brendan Hanley, Ken Hardie, Mike Kelloway, Robert J. Morrissey, Rick Perkins, Clifford Small, Bob Zimmer — 11;
NAYS: — 0.
After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Mike Kelloway, as amended, and it was agreed to.
After debate, the question was put on the motion, as amended, and it was agreed to.
The motion, as amended, read as follows:
That the committee invite the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard and senior officials, for two hours, to appear in consideration of the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard's mandate letter and matters related to her department, before the end of February.
Ken Hardie moved, — That the committee commit to a short study focusing on the risks flood control/mitigation systems along the lower Fraser River pose to wild salmon runs and the opportunity to address those risks as we recover from the floods and rebuild the flood control infrastructure.
Debate arose thereon.
Mike Kelloway moved, — That the motion be amended by adding after the words “flood control infrastructure” the following: “that the committee allot one meeting to the study and that the committee receive testimony from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans”.
After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Mike Kelloway and it was agreed to.
The debate on the motion, as amended, continued.
Taylor Bachrach moved, — That the motion be amended by adding after the word “systems” the following: “in British Columbia, particularly”.
After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Taylor Bachrach and it was agreed to.
After debate, the question was put on the motion, as amended, and it was agreed to.
The motion, as amended, read as follows:
That the committee commit to a short study focusing on the risks flood control/mitigation systems in British Columbia, particularly along the lower Fraser River pose to wild salmon runs and the opportunity to address those risks as we recover from the floods and rebuild the flood control infrastructure, that the committee allot one meeting to the study and that the committee receive testimony from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
Mel Arnold moved, — That pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee undertake a study of at least six meetings to examine how the Department of Fisheries and Oceans develops scientific conclusions including advice that it provides to the minister and how the minister applies scientific advice to ministerial decisions; that the committee call witnesses including the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, senior department officials from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and persons who have directly contributed to the department's science and science processes to testify; and that the committee report its conclusions and recommendations to the House.
After debate, the question was put on the motion and the result of the vote was announced:
YEAS: Mel Arnold, Taylor Bachrach, Rick Perkins, Clifford Small, Bob Zimmer — 5;
NAYS: Sophie Chatel, Serge Cormier, Ken Hardie, Mike Kelloway, Robert J. Morrissey — 5.
Whereupon, the Chair voted in the negative.
Accordingly, the motion was negatived.
Bob Zimmer moved, — That Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) the committee undertake a study examining the scope and effects of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU) on Canada's fisheries resources and the degradation of those resources caused by illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing; that the committee receive witness testimony from the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Minister of National Defence, officials from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Department of National Defence and Canadians impacted by IUU fishing; that the committee allot no fewer than eight two-hour meetings to receive said testimony; that the committee also accept written briefs from individuals or organizations who wish to submit input; and that the committee present its findings with recommendations in a report to the House.
Debate arose thereon.
Ken Hardie moved, — That the motion be amended by adding after the words “report to the House” the following: “and that the motion is without prejudice to aboriginal and treaty rights”.
After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Ken Hardie and it was agreed to.
After debate, the question was put on the motion, as amended, and it was agreed to.
The motion, as amended, read as follows:
That Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) the committee undertake a study examining the scope and effects of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU) on Canada's fisheries resources and the degradation of those resources caused by illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing; that the committee receive witness testimony from the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Minister of National Defence, officials from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Department of National Defence and Canadians impacted by IUU fishing; that the committee allot no fewer than eight two-hour meetings to receive said testimony; that the committee also accept written briefs from individuals or organizations who wish to submit input; that the committee present its findings with recommendations in a report to the House; and that the motion is without prejudice to aboriginal and treaty rights.
Clifford Small moved, — (a) That the committee undertake a comprehensive study of pinnipeds that would examine the ecosystem impacts of pinniped overpopulation in the waters of Quebec, eastern and western Canada; international experience in pinniped stock management; the domestic and international market potential for various pinniped products; social acceptability; and the social cultural importance of developing active management of predation for coastal and first nations communities with access to the resource; (b) that the committee invite witness appearances including indigenous organizations, scientific experts, DFO officials, and experts and officials from countries such as Scotland, Norway and Iceland that have conserved and rebuilt fish stocks by balancing pinniped populations; (c) that the committee allot no fewer than eight, two-hour meetings, to receive said testimony; (d) that the committee also accept written briefs from individuals or organizations who wish to submit input; and that the committee submit its findings with recommendations in a report to the House.
Debate arose thereon.
Robert J. Morrissey moved, — That the motion be amended by adding after the words “to submit input” the following: “that the committee request to travel to countries such as Scotland, Norway and Iceland when it is safe and appropriate to travel internationally in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, that the Chair be empowered to coordinate the travel”.
After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Robert J. Morrissey and it was agreed to.
After debate, the question was put on the motion, as amended, and it was agreed to.
The motion, as amended, read as follows:
(a) That the committee undertake a comprehensive study of pinnipeds that would examine the ecosystem impacts of pinniped overpopulation in the waters of Quebec, eastern and western Canada; international experience in pinniped stock management; the domestic and international market potential for various pinniped products; social acceptability; and the social cultural importance of developing active management of predation for coastal and first nations communities with access to the resource; (b) that the committee invite witness appearances including indigenous organizations, scientific experts, DFO officials, and experts and officials from countries such as Scotland, Norway and Iceland that have conserved and rebuilt fish stocks by balancing pinniped populations; (c) that the committee allot no fewer than eight, two-hour meetings, to receive said testimony; (d) that the committee also accept written briefs from individuals or organizations who wish to submit input; (e) that the committee request to travel to countries such as Scotland, Norway and Iceland when it is safe and appropriate to travel internationally in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and that the Chair be empowered to coordinate the travel; and that the committee submit its findings with recommendations in a report to the House.
Serge Cormier moved, — That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee undertake a study to examine the fishery management measures put in place to protect North Atlantic right whales, in order to evaluate the impact these measures have had on the reduction of right whale deaths in Atlantic Canada and Quebec as well as the impact on the economy of coastal communities in these regions and to provide the government with options and recommendations to improve these measures; that the committee call witnesses including senior officials from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada and interested stakeholder groups to testify before the committee; that the committee present its conclusions and recommendations in a report to the House of Commons; and that, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee request that the government table a comprehensive response to this report.
Debate arose thereon.
At 1:06 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.