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House Hansard - 77

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 30, 2022 11:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 77 - May/30/22
Mr. Bob Zimmer (Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, CPC)
  • May/30/22 9:26:48 p.m.
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Madam Chair, icebreaker and offshore patrol ship delays are causing massive increases in costs and threaten our Arctic sovereignty and security, putting all Canadians at risk. The Parliamentary Budget Officer estimates that the polar icebreakers announced by the government would cost $7.25 billion, or over $3.6 billion each. In 2013, the estimated cost for one heavy icebreaker was only $1.3 billion. Continued delays by your government are costing taxpayers billions. What date have you been given for when these heavy icebreakers will be added to our Coast Guard fleet?
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The Deputy Chair
  • May/30/22 9:27:18 p.m.
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I will remind members that they are to address questions and comments through the Chair and not directly to the minister. The hon. minister.
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Hon. Joyce Murray (Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, Lib.)
  • May/30/22 9:27:27 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I am proud of our Coast Guard fleet renewal program. The member's government, a previous government, did nothing to renew the fleet, and many of these ships are well past their shelf life. I am proud that three major fishery science vessels have already been produced and that many more are under way.
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Mr. Bob Zimmer
  • May/30/22 9:27:54 p.m.
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Madam Chair, the minister is actually announcing the previous Conservative strategy around shipbuilding, so I thank her for that plug. An Order Paper answer delivered by the government stated that the cost of the Coast Guard Arctic and offshore patrol ships would be $750 million per ship. Your colleague, the Minister of Public Services and Procurement said—
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The Deputy Chair
  • May/30/22 9:28:15 p.m.
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I want to remind the member that he is to address all questions and comments to the Chair. He may want to refrain from using the words “you” or “your”. The hon. member.
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Mr. Bob Zimmer
  • May/30/22 9:28:30 p.m.
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Madam Chair, the minister's colleague, the Minister of Public Services and Procurement, said that $750 million would be an estimate. Who is telling the truth?
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Hon. Joyce Murray
  • May/30/22 9:28:39 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I think the key question here is, are we delivering on our promise to renew the fleet? Yes, we are.
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Mr. Bob Zimmer
  • May/30/22 9:28:51 p.m.
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Madam Chair, the question for the minister was specific. Irving just testified that the amount would be considerably less than the $750 million, so again, who is telling the truth?
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Hon. Joyce Murray
  • May/30/22 9:29:04 p.m.
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Madam Chair, the truth of the matter is that there was no renewal of the Coast Guard fleet nor the defence fleet for 10 years under the previous government.
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Mr. Bob Zimmer
  • May/30/22 9:29:17 p.m.
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Madam Chair, what is taking so long?
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Mr. Mark Gerretsen
  • May/30/22 9:29:31 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I rise on a point of order. The member just said, “Why did it take you so long?”
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Mr. Bob Zimmer
  • May/30/22 9:29:42 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I said specifically, “What is taking so long?”
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Hon. Joyce Murray
  • May/30/22 9:29:47 p.m.
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Madam Chair, there have been delays that tie into COVID, as well as supply chain issues.
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Mr. Bob Zimmer
  • May/30/22 9:29:51 p.m.
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Madam Chair, when will the contracts for the two Arctic and offshore patrol ships for the Coast Guard be signed?
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Hon. Joyce Murray
  • May/30/22 9:29:59 p.m.
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Madam Chair, they will be signed when those negotiations are complete.
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Mr. Bob Zimmer
  • May/30/22 9:30:03 p.m.
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Madam Chair, B.C.'s public fishery represents $1.1 billion in revenue and supports 9,000 direct jobs. When I asked the minister in committee if the minister would work with our angling community, she said that she would. She has since broken her promise. Why is she determined to shut our province's fishing communities down with continued unnecessary closures?
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Hon. Joyce Murray
  • May/30/22 9:30:28 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I will say I did meet with the angling representatives. I have a lot of respect for their position. I cannot open an integrated fishery management plan in—
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Mr. Bob Zimmer
  • May/30/22 9:30:49 p.m.
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Madam Chair, who specifically in the fishing community did the minister meet with?
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Hon. Joyce Murray
  • May/30/22 9:30:52 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I am happy to get the member a record of the several meetings I have had.
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Mr. Bob Zimmer
  • May/30/22 9:30:57 p.m.
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Madam Chair, if the minister had actually met with the fishing community, one would think it would be first-hand. It is easy to remember the fishing community. Believe me, I know a lot of them in B.C., and they are certainly unforgettable. A study funded by the minister's own department recently found that the numbers of chinook salmon in the Salish Sea during the summertime are four to six times more abundant for southern resident killer whales than in northern resident whales' feeding grounds. A lack of prey for southern resident killer whales has been used by the minister's predecessor as the reason for shutting down our public fisheries. This has now been clearly debunked. When will the minister's department start making science-based decisions when it comes to keeping our public fishery open?
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