Q-779 , 45th Parliament, 1st session May 26, 2025, to present

With regard to the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, Treasury Board appropriations, and the government's response to parliamentary committee recommendations: (a) what is the current process by which Treasury Board approved appropriations for Canada's obligations to the Great Lakes Fishery Commission flow through Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and on what legal, policy, and administrative basis does this arrangement continue; (b) why has the government not corrected the conflict of interest noted in the 11th report of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans, which was adopted during the 1st session of the 44th Parliament, that found that, Fisheries and Oceans Canada's dual role as both the funder and the delivery agent of the Sea Lamprey Control Program represents a conflict of interest; (c) what accountability mechanisms are currently in place to ensure that funds flowing through Fisheries and Oceans Canada are not influenced by the department's operational role in delivering the Sea Lamprey Control Program; (d) why has the government not yet implemented recommendation number eight of the standing committee's report, which calls for transferring responsibility for the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, including the flow of Treasury Board appropriations, from Fisheries and Oceans Canada to Global Affairs Canada; (e) what is the timeline for implementing the transfer in (d); and (f) what assessment has the government made of the risks posed by not yet implementing recommendation number eight, including risks to (i) Canada's compliance with its international treaty obligations, (ii) the credibility of Canada's governance of shared Great Lakes resources, (iii) the effective and timely delivery of sea lamprey control activities?