FOPO Committee Meeting

The Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans met at 3:38 p.m. this day, in Room 269, West Block, the Chair, Rodney Weston, presiding.

The Chair presented the Second Report from the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure which read as follows:

Your Subcommittee met on October 5, 2009, to consider the business of the Committee and agreed to make the following recommendations:

On the Amendments to the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization Convention:

That the Committee undertake a review and invite:

David Balfour, Acting Assistant Deputy Minister Fisheries and Aquaculture Management, Department of Fisheries and Oceans on Tuesday, October 6, 2009.

The Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and Claire Dansereau, Deputy Minister of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans on Thursday, October 8, 2009.

That the Chair write a letter on behalf of the Committee to David Bevan, Assistant Deputy Minister, Fisheries and Aquaculture Management, Department of Fisheries and Oceans expressing their good wishes.

It was agreed, — That the Report be adopted.

Gerry Byrne gave notice of the following motion:

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee report the following to the House:

That, given the evidence heard by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans at hearings in March, May and October 2009, and the serious concerns recently expressed by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Committee recommends that the Government of Canada not ratify the amendment to the Convention on future multilateral cooperation in the northwest altantic fisheries adopted by the General Council of the Northwest Fisheries Atlantic Organization (NAFO) in 2007, and that Canada notify NAFO of its objection to the amendment as per Article XXI of the Convention.

Gerry Byrne moved, — That debate on his motion, which he gave notice of earlier today, concerning amendments to the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization, be suspended until Thursday, October 8, 2009 at 4:30 p.m. and that all questions concerning the motion be put and a vote be taken no later than 5:30 p.m.

Debate arose thereon.

At 3:57 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 4:07 p.m., the sitting resumed.

After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was agreed to.

The witnesses made statements and answered questions.

At 5:33 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.