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Results: 1 - 15 of 20
View Bernadette Jordan Profile
Lib. (NS)
Thank you, Mr. Chair. It is great to be here with all of you again. I appreciate the opportunity to speak with you all today.
First of all, I would like to acknowledge that I'm coming to you from Wolastoqiyik and Mi'kma'ki, the traditional unceded territory of the Mi'kmaq people.
Joining me are several of my officials, including Timothy Sargent, the deputy minister of Fisheries and Oceans; Dr. Niall O'Dea, senior assistant deputy minister, strategic policy; Jean-Guy Forgeron, senior assistant deputy minister for fisheries and harbour management; Rebecca Reid, regional director general, Pacific region; Arran McPherson, assistant deputy minister, ecosystems and ocean science; Alexandra Dostal, assistant deputy minister of aquatic ecosystems; Hugo Pagé, assistant deputy minister and chief financial officer; and Andy Smith, deputy commissioner, shipbuilding and material.
Given that this is my first appearance since budget 2021 was tabled in the House, I would like to talk about some of the investments that are specific to Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Today I will discuss the budget and focus on the key themes of conserving and protecting our marine resources and supporting coastal communities and economies. Over the next five years, DFO and the Coast Guard will receive significant investments that will allow the department to continue its important work in these areas.
I will also be happy to take your questions on the topic of Pacific salmon.
Our government knows that the health of our oceans is intrinsically linked to the health of our economy and the health of our people. One way we can conserve and protect our marine resources is by establishing a network of marine protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures. MPAs are proven to be a way to help aquatic species, habitats and ecosystems recover from human-induced stresses such as overfishing, natural resource extraction and pollution.
When our government took office in 2015, less than 1% of our oceans were protected. Today that figure stands at almost 14%, with a goal of increasing this to 25% by 2025, working towards 30% by 2030. To help Canada meet its ambitious marine conservation targets, budget 2021 earmarked $976.8 million over the next five years. This investment will be used to expand our network of MPAs on all three coasts by working closely with indigenous, provincial and territorial partners and local communities to better protect and manage vulnerable areas. Ultimately, this work will benefit the broader marine environment, coastal communities and local economies.
Budget 2021 also signals a strong federal response to address the serious decline of Pacific salmon on the west coast. Despite extensive conservation measures in recent years, climate change and threats caused by humans, including deteriorating habitat; contaminants; illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing; changes in how land and water are used and international fishing pressures have negatively affected Pacific salmon at every stage of their life cycle.
Currently, 50 different Pacific salmon populations are being considered for listing under the Species at Risk Act or are pending assessment by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. The reasons are numerous, complex and incredibly concerning. When unforeseen events such as the Big Bar landslide occur, the risks to vulnerable salmon stocks are magnified even further. Bold, sustained and coordinated action is needed to stabilize, protect and rebuild Pacific salmon for the communities that depend on sustainable fisheries and the ecosystems that support them.
Last April, as many of you know, our government announced a historic investment in Pacific salmon. This unprecedented $647-million investment is the single most transformative investment the government has ever made towards saving salmon. It is aimed at stopping the declines now, while helping to rebuild populations over the longer term. Our government will be taking a collaborative approach that focuses on strengthening partnerships with provinces and territories, first nations, industries, organizations and others who are already doing so much to protect and conserve salmon.
We must bring key partners to the table and identify and prioritize actions to support healthy salmon. I know this investment comes on the heels on the committee's study on this important issue. I want to thank the members for their work on this file. I look forward to hearing your recommendations. I'm confident that this investment will provide a coordinated response to help the recovery of Pacific salmon to support the many communities, harvesters and businesses that rely on the health of these stocks.
Mr. Chair, budget 2021 will give my department the financial means it needs to meet our marine conservation targets, address declines of Pacific salmon and protect aquatic species at risk. It will also provide the Coast Guard with additional funding to prevent and mitigate environmental incidents on the water through an extension of the emergency towing vessels located on Canada's west coast.
Budget 2021 will also help coastal communities build back better and stronger from the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes investing significantly in small craft harbours.
In 2019, the commercial fishing industry had landings valued at almost $3.7 billion and employed more than 45,000 workers. Even during the hardships of the past year, fish and seafood were among the largest single food commodities exported by Canada. Budget 2021 includes $300 million to repair, renew and replace infrastructure at small craft harbours over the next two years. This will help shore up the future for the industry by providing safe, functional harbours while at the same time creating well-paid jobs for Canadians.
We are also strengthening our commitment to marine safety for indigenous coastal communities by ensuring that communities can get the boats and equipment they need to keep people safe in local waters.
Mr. Chair, these investments in coastal communities are a down payment on our future that will pay dividends in the months and years ahead for Canada while the world recovers from this global pandemic.
Whether we’re talking about conserving and protecting our marine resources or supporting coastal communities and economies, all of this work is interconnected. Ultimately, budget 2021 is an investment in Canadian families and communities. These are investments that underscore how our nation’s economic prosperity and the long-term health of our environment can and must go hand in hand.
As minister, I’m confident that the funding I outlined today will position Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard to deliver on key priorities that contribute to a stronger maritime economy, healthier oceans and more resilient coastal communities.
Now I’m pleased to answer any questions you may have.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
View Ken Hardie Profile
Lib. (BC)
With regard to the major investment in Pacific salmon that was included in budget 2021, to what extent will the DFO be responsible for basically managing the programs that this funding will be supporting?
View Bernadette Jordan Profile
Lib. (NS)
I'm very proud of the fact that our government has made this historic investment of $647 million in wild Pacific salmon, recognizing that this is the largest investment to help this species. However, we need to act in partnership and in collaboration with the Province of British Columbia, with Yukon, with first nations, with industry, with environmental organizations, with anglers. There are a number of groups that have great expertise in salmon. We need to bring it together, find the path forward and make a strategic investment where we do the strategic work. However, I think bringing it all together under one umbrella is going to be critical.
View Ken Hardie Profile
Lib. (BC)
Explain, if you can, the role of the salmon centre of expertise. That was specifically noted in the budget as something you intend to create. What will its role be?
View Bernadette Jordan Profile
Lib. (NS)
Of course, we have not rolled out the salmon strategy yet. We are hopefully going to be doing that in the coming weeks, at least the first phase, which will be a consultation process to find out what the best ways forward are.
The centre of expertise is looking at the many people who work on the ground with salmon, who know the populations and the challenges they're facing, and we need to bring all of that under one umbrella. We need to make sure that we're not all working at cross-purposes. Everybody has the same goal, and that is to protect, conserve and grow the salmon populations. What we need to make sure we're doing is that we're all doing it in the same direction.
View Denis Trudel Profile
BQ (QC)
If I may, I will just reiterate, people in the community expressed feelings about not being consulted before the budget was tabled. They wondered why they were consulted after the fact.
Do you have an answer for them?
View Bernadette Jordan Profile
Lib. (NS)
I have met with countless stakeholders on the west coast, as well as with first nations. I have met continually with the Province of British Columbia on this issue. I have met with environmental organizations, with anglers and with industry. I would say that we have done an awful lot of consulting when it comes to what needed to be addressed in a wild Pacific salmon strategy.
I will also say that we have actually had very good feedback from pretty much everyone who is involved in preserving and conserving salmon. They're very happy to see that this money is coming to actually put some work into making sure that we do what we have to do.
View Denis Trudel Profile
BQ (QC)
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Madam Minister, many of the witnesses we heard from during the study expressed how urgent it is that we act to save Pacific salmon. I believe some of my colleagues have spoken about that today as well.
However, when I look at the budget, we see that the funding is broken down as follows: $35 million will be invested in 2021‑2022, while $158 million is projected for 2022‑2023.
Since the situation is urgent, why not invest more now?
View Bernadette Jordan Profile
Lib. (NS)
Thank you for the question, Mr. Trudel.
I will say that “urgency” is absolutely the way that we have to frame this. We have to make sure that wild Pacific salmon survive. This is a unique opportunity and a time for us to make sure that we do everything we possibly can.
The budget announcement is significant because it is a historic amount of money to be put forward, but we have to make sure that we're doing it strategically. We have to make sure that we are doing it in collaboration with other stakeholders, with the indigenous communities.
To that point, one of the main things that we will be doing as we move forward is working in collaboration with those organizations to find out what the priorities are and make sure that we find where the strategic investments have to go, where the policies are that need to change and where the regulations are that possibly need to change. These are all parts of the process, and we are working very hard to make sure that we get those things right.
View Denis Trudel Profile
BQ (QC)
I understand, but it's still pretty mind-boggling.
In subsequent budget years, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025, the amounts are all above $100 million, whereas for this year, despite the fact that solutions exist, it is a meagre $35 million.
This year's investment seems a little ridiculous to me.
View Bernadette Jordan Profile
Lib. (NS)
We already have programs that we are funding this year, programs like the B.C. SRIF program and the habitat restoration program on the British Columbia coast. Those are all programs that are already ongoing and that we've put the investments in, so it's not like there's no money there now and this is just a small amount. There's already money available that we're working with from previous years.
To your point, there is an ongoing ability for us to invest in making sure that we're doing the right things, because there is money here now, but this is an additional amount that we've been given.
View Mel Arnold Profile
CPC (BC)
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Madam Minister, before I was cut off there—rightly so, I guess, by the chair, and right on time—I was speaking about the continuing salmon declines we've seen in my riding in the Adams River and how your actions and inactions have hurt British Columbians with the Discovery Island decision and the spot prawn decision, or reinterpretation. I was speaking about the public fishers who have been let down without an opportunity for a mark-selective fishery, the failure of your department to address pinnipeds in the Salish Sea and the Pacific—and the Atlantic, as far as that goes—as well as the failure to follow through on the mandate from your Prime Minister to provide funding for preventing aquatic invasive species in B.C.
How can you make these decisions that you've made without a scientific background to base these decisions on?
View Mel Arnold Profile
CPC (BC)
You've made these decisions without providing any reasoning to the people who are affected by them.
The spot prawn harvesters are still trying to understand why the decision was made. The public fishers haven't seen any answers as to the reasons. There doesn't seem to be any reason behind any of your decisions.
View Bernadette Jordan Profile
Lib. (NS)
First of all, I'm going to say that I'm extremely proud of our government and the decisions that we have made with regard to investments in making sure that we are doing everything we possibly can to protect the wild Pacific salmon. You talked about that.
We've also invested, in budget 2018, I believe, $43 million for aquatic invasive species. Is there more to be done? Absolutely.
With regard to the B.C. shrimp program, we have made significant investments in habitat restoration. With regard to science—
View Mel Arnold Profile
CPC (BC)
If there was more to be done on the aquatic invasive species, why was there nothing in the massive budget of 2021 for invasive species in B.C.?
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