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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 77

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 30, 2022 11:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 77 - May/30/22
Hon. Joyce Murray
  • May/30/22 11:41:58 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, that is still under development, but I am pleased that the enhancements in the hatcheries and community hatcheries are a core of the pillars of the program.
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Mr. Mel Arnold
  • May/30/22 11:42:11 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, 300 people are to be employed through this program, but there are no clear answers here yet on what is going to be completed this year. What PSSI funding is allocated to drive improved fisheries harvests?
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Hon. Joyce Murray
  • May/30/22 11:42:24 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, I do want to point out that the estimates process is Parliament's ability to provide approval to the proposed budget for this year, and—
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The Chair
  • May/30/22 11:42:38 p.m.
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The hon. member.
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Mr. Mel Arnold
  • May/30/22 11:42:41 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, how did the minister's department arrive at the figures of $647 million, plus $98.9 million for amortization, for the PSSI?
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Hon. Joyce Murray
  • May/30/22 11:42:55 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, the PSSI is historically funded for five years at $640 million, so that is this year's component of the total program.
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Mr. Mel Arnold
  • May/30/22 11:43:10 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, it sounds like a pile of money poured out without a plan. What evidence does the minister have that the resources and initiatives of the PSSI will increase the recovery potential for Pacific salmon stocks?
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Hon. Joyce Murray
  • May/30/22 11:43:24 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, that is absolutely our intention, and we will be collaborating with the indigenous communities, with harvesters and with others to do just that.
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Mr. Mel Arnold
  • May/30/22 11:43:38 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, that is 300 jobs but no evidence that there is going to be any improvement for Pacific salmon stocks. If the minister is unable to provide evidence of increased potential of recovery, how did she arrive at the figure of $647 million?
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Hon. Joyce Murray
  • May/30/22 11:43:52 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, that was allocated before I was appointed as minister. However, I will say that the pillar that has to do with collaboration is extremely important in getting results, because otherwise the province, the federal government and others are working in silos. This—
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The Chair
  • May/30/22 11:44:10 p.m.
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The hon. member.
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Mr. Mel Arnold
  • May/30/22 11:44:12 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, for the current fiscal year, what is DFO's budget for aquatic invasive species prevention activities?
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Hon. Joyce Murray
  • May/30/22 11:44:23 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, it is approximately $10 million.
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Mr. Mel Arnold
  • May/30/22 11:44:27 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, what percentage of funding for prevention of AIS is allocated to waters west of the Great Lakes?
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Hon. Joyce Murray
  • May/30/22 11:44:37 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, I would say that it would be less than 50%.
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Mr. Mel Arnold
  • May/30/22 11:44:43 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, why is there such inequity between the amount of funding for the Great Lakes region and western Canada?
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Hon. Joyce Murray
  • May/30/22 11:44:52 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, it is an opportunity to point out the incredible importance of reducing the invasive species growth across the country.
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Mr. Mel Arnold
  • May/30/22 11:45:09 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, who is the final decision-maker as to what science DFO will undertake?
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Hon. Joyce Murray
  • May/30/22 11:45:22 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, the bottom line is I sign off on the department's budget.
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Mr. Mike Kelloway (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, Lib.)
  • May/30/22 11:45:39 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, I will be sharing my time with the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands. Small craft harbours is a key Fisheries and Oceans Canada program and one that is important for Canada's economy because it provides critical support to the commercial fishing industry, which has annual landings valued at more than $3.5 billion. Our government has provided the program with important resources to help meet its mandate. Our government has announced $784 million in new funding for the small craft harbours program since 2016. This funding supports Canadians in the fishing, aquaculture, tourism, environmental, recreational, marine engineering and construction industries and strengthens the resilience of coastal and rural communities. In essence, it is the economic hub in rural and Atlantic Canada, where I am from. From coast to coast to coast, Fisheries and Oceans Canada owns, operates and maintains a national system of harbours to provide commercial fish harvesters and other small craft harbour users with safe and accessible facilities. Ninety per cent of Canadian fishing vessels are using small craft harbours, and fish harvesters depend on these facilities not only to support their livelihoods, but also to create economic wealth in the communities they reside in. At the present time, the program is responsible for 973 harbours, 675 of which are core harbours that are considered essential to Canada's fishing industry. The remaining 298 are used less by the industry or recreational harbours. In many communities, these forming fishing harbours now have a new calling that allows them to remain key local drivers in terms of the economy. In fact, in budget 2021, our government announced it would provide $300 million over two years to repair, renew and replace small craft harbours. While small craft harbours remain key to the continued success of the Canadian fishing industry, DFO staff are focusing on certain areas that will require attention over the coming years. The small craft harbours program is also very successful in surpassing its objectives through its involvement in the oceans protection plan and its national strategy to address the risks posed by abandoned and wrecked vessels. This strategy is being delivered by Transport Canada and our department through the small craft harbours and the Canadian Coast Guard. Under the small craft harbours portion of the strategy, Fisheries and Oceans Canada has funded $1.3 million over the next five years to remove abandoned and wrecked vessels in small craft harbours. The small craft harbours abandoned and wrecked vessels removal program was implemented in 2017 and 2018 and has since surpassed its ocean protection plan target of 50 vessels removed and disposed of by 2022, with a total of 154 vessels removed from federally owned harbours. The program will continue beyond 2021-22 as part of the renewal and expansion of the oceans protection plan, which was announced in budget 2022. These positive results are contributing to strengthening the resilience of rural and coastal communities in Canada. The goal of all of this will be to further strengthen the resilience of our rural and coastal communities, which we hold dear. Before closing my remarks, I would like to point out that one of the keys to the program's success is the collaboration, indeed a strong collaboration, with the 5,000 volunteers that represent the over 560 harbour authorities that we work with across this very country. As we can see, the small craft harbours program continues to play a key role in the maintenance and upkeep of Canada's harbours. I can assure the House that our government will remain committed to supporting programs like this so that it continues to be successful in meeting its mandate. My one question, so we can move on to the questions by the member opposite, is that in budget 2021, the government announced it would provide $300 million over the next two years, as mentioned, to repair, renew and replace small craft harbours. Could the minister explain the progress of the program and the important, in fact critical, role it plays in our fish and seafood sector?
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