Liberal MPs Reject Study of Fishery Closure Impacts in British Columbia

IronNoggin

Well-Known Member
MAY 28, 2019
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OTTAWA, ON - Liberal Members of Parliament unanimously voted against a proposed study of socio-economic impacts resulting from the latest round of chinook salmon harvest closures announced by the federal government.

The study motion was presented at the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans by Conservative Blaine Calkins, MP for Red Deer-Lacombe, and was supported by all opposition members. Unfortunately, the Liberal majority on the committee, including British Columbia MP Ken Hardie (Fleetwood-Port Kells), rejected the proposed study.

“Government decisions have a major impact on the lives and livelihoods of Canadians, and the latest round of Pacific salmon closures has already impacted coastal communities and businesses that depend on fisheries,” said MP Calkins following the committee meeting. “As disappointing as it was to see the proposed study defeated by the Liberal committee members, my Conservative colleagues and I will continue to work with people in B.C. directly impacted by another round of reductions and closures.”

The latest rounds of fishing closures and reductions were announced in April by Liberal Fisheries Minister and B.C. MP Jonathan Wilkinson.

“Of course, we see politics in Ottawa, but this was pretty callous,” said Mel Arnold, MP for North Okanagan-Shuswap. “The proposed study would have focused on the impacts being felt by the 8,000 British Columbians who work in and around our public fishery. Apparently, the Trudeau Liberals don’t want anyone asking them questions or hearing what they’re experiencing.”

British Columbia’s public fishery is a world-famous destination for sport fishing and contributes $1.1 billion to the Canadian economy every year. Some 300,000 annual license holders who depend on BC’s public fishery for recreational and subsistence fishing are impacted by the latest closures, as are numerous businesses in the fishing, tourism, transportation, retail and accommodation sectors.

The proposed study motion noted that “since 2016, the public fishery in British Columbia has been damaged by unrelenting reductions of access to fisheries caused by the federal government’s preference to close fisheries rather than support balanced fishery enhancement and habitat restoration to grow fishery populations.” The proposal also sought an assessment of “other measures that could deliver increases in chinook salmon stocks.”

“After years of mismanagement and stone-walling grassroots efforts to restore wild Pacific salmon stocks, this government dealt another blow to Pacific salmon fisheries and the people who depend on them to put food on their family’s tables,” said MP Todd Doherty who represents Cariboo-Prince George. “The Liberals stopped this study because they have the numbers at committee, but I am from B.C. and I know the determination of British Columbians. We will keep fighting to restore salmon stocks and restore access to the public fishery.”

Proposed Study Motion

Whereas:
-the public fishery in British Columbia contributes $1.1 billion to Canada’s economy; and
-the public fishery in British Columbia provides 9,000 jobs while benefiting 300,000 annual license holders, their families and businesses connected to the public fishery’s activities and tourism-related spending; and
-since 2016, the public fishery in British Columbia has been damaged by unrelenting reductions of access to fisheries caused by the federal government’s preference to close fisheries rather than support balanced fishery enhancement and habitat restoration to grow fishery populations,

Mr. Calkins moves that:

-the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans undertake a study of the socio-economic impact of the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans’ decisions to close the recreational fishing of chinook salmon to fully understand the impact of this decision on small businesses and coastal communities; and
-as part of its study, the Committee travel to the west coast to meet with those impacted including small businesses that have had to decrease staff numbers due to the reduction of opportunities in the public fishery; and
- as part of its study, the Committee assess other measures that could deliver increases in chinook salmon stocks.

Vote Results

In Favour

MP Blaine Calkins, Conservative, Red Deer-Lacombe, AB
MP Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo-Prince George, BC
MP Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan-Shuswap, BC
MP Fin Donnelly, New Democratic, Port Moody-Coquitlam, BC

Opposed

MP Ken Hardie, Liberal, Fleetwood-Port Kells, BC
MP Colin Fraser, Liberal, West Nova, NS
MP Churence Rogers, Liberal, Bonavista-Burin-Trinity, NFL
MP Robert J. Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PEI
MP Alaina Lockhart, Liberal, Fundy-Royal, NB

For more information:
Office of Todd Doherty, MP
[P] 613-995-6704 [E] Todd.Doherty.A1@Parl.gc.ca
 
Can it get more political than this?? all you people out there that thought these measures were to get more fish to the spawning grounds should read this stuff.

Ken Hardie is going to be getting an ear full from me. what a crock of ****.

Of course the Liberals do not want to be exposed.

I hope all the people on here that says no matter what goverment you vote for they all do the same should read this, WAY more too this stuff.
 
Can it get more political than this?? all you people out there that thought these measures were to get more fish to the spawning grounds should read this stuff.

Ken Hardie is going to be getting an ear full from me. what a crock of ****.

Of course the Liberals do not want to be exposed.

I hope all the people on here that says no matter what goverment you vote for they all do the same should read this, WAY more too this stuff.
This would never happen under proportional representation.
 
That is why the Liberals goverment axed it off there agenda. It was an election promise was it not?
Its the only way we the people can get a more direct say. Once Trudeau got into majority power he and all the other recent leaders only care about maintaining abasolute power. You then throw them out and the next group tries to maintain absolute power. Once they get into majority they do what they want and all their trained seals must clap in unison or get turfed to the side.
 
Every single recreational or commercial fisher ,guide, waitress or any worker. Or business owner that has been affected by these rediculious closures should be lighting a fire Under Every Liberals back side that they can. And also engaging with the Conservatives and other parties demanding change.
Quite frankly if your not, and you continue to sit on your butt doing nothing you have more to loose than ever.

The future of our Salmon and your fishing opportunities redt in your action or lack there of.

Vote these Bafoons out in October and spread the word to everyone. The Looser Liberals could care less about out western way of living.

Get out there everyone!
 
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It's truly regrettable that such an important issue has been reduced to a political football to score points.
I think that if the honorable member would have just asked to see the socio economic report on this closure we could have all benefited with this information.

Paraphrasing
Question: Was a study done on the socio economic results of this west coast Chinook closure.
Answer: Yes
Motion for a road trip so that we can use up valuable time that would delay this bill to ban import and export of Shark Fins. Thus putting this bill in jeopardy of dying on the order paper for political talking points.

http://parlvu.parl.gc.ca/xrender/en...ike Gecko) Chrome/74.0.3729.157 Safari/537.36
 
It's truly regrettable that such an important issue has been reduced to a political football to score points.
I think that if the honorable member would have just asked to see the socio economic report on this closure we could have all benefited with this information.

Paraphrasing
Question: Was a study done on the socio economic results of this west coast Chinook closure.
Answer: Yes
Motion for a road trip so that we can use up valuable time that would delay this bill to ban import and export of Shark Fins. Thus putting this bill in jeopardy of dying on the order paper for political talking points.

http://parlvu.parl.gc.ca/xrender/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/20190527/-1/31672?Language=English&Stream=Video&useragent=Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/74.0.3729.157 Safari/537.36

Fin donnelly has sent me numerous emails of support of the shark fin ban and he still voted for this bill. So he obviously thinks both Bills are important. Sad the Liberals do not
 
I have to conclude the outcome of the vote was purely politically motivated to protect the Liberal government from further attack once people see the real economic cost of these decisions. Seen some pretty shocking before non-retention, and after non-retention pics on FB...tells the whole story, no need for an economic study. I also understand that some of the WCVI FN's are considering legal action as their rights were infringed upon.
 
I have to conclude that after listening to the evidence that this was just a stunt to score political points. The honorable member could have asked for a copy of the report but chose not to. That was not his intent as you can hear in the recording. If the honorable member was so concerned then he also had a chance to put forth a request to add this to new business when they went in camera but he didn't.

Here is the results from in camera.

The Committee proceeded to the consideration of matters related to Committee business.

It was agreed, — That the Committee hold a one-hour briefing on steelhead salmon in the Fraser River on Wednesday, June 5, 2019.

It was agreed, — That, in relation to the briefing on steelhead salmon in the Fraser River, the Members of the Committee submit to the Clerk of the Committee their list of suggested witnesses no later than 5:00 p.m., on Thursday, May 30, 2019.

It was agreed, — That, in relation to the study on enforcement of the Fisheries Act, the Members of the Committee submit to the Clerk of the Committee their list of suggested witnesses no later than 5:00 p.m., on Tuesday, June 4, 2019.


https://www.ourcommons.ca/DocumentViewer/en/42-1/FOPO/meeting-147/minutes
 
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