The committee resumed consideration of a draft report.

It was agreed, — That the draft report, as amended, be adopted.

It was agreed, — That the report be entitled: "Reducing the Harms Caused to Canadian Fish Stocks by the Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing".

It was agreed, — That the Chair, clerk and analysts be authorized to make such grammatical and editorial changes as may be necessary without changing the substance of the report.

It was agreed, — That dissenting or supplementary opinions be in Calibri 12-point font, left aligned, single-spaced, and be submitted electronically, in both official languages, to the clerk of the committee, not later than Monday, September 23, 2024 at 5:00 p.m.

ORDERED, — That the Chair present the report to the House.

It was agreed, — That the committee proceed to sit in public.

At 11:18 a.m., the meeting was suspended.

At 11:26 a.m., the meeting resumed in public.

Clifford Small moved, — That, given that after nine years and six fisheries ministers, Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government has betrayed harvesters and made a mess of Newfoundland and Labrador’s inshore fishery, the Liberal government has ignored Canadian fish harvesters and is not listening to their concerns; that the Fish, Food, and Allied Workers Union (FFAW-Unifor) has recently stated that the “federal Liberal government has completely and utterly failed our province and the recovery of the great Northern cod stock”; and that because Canadian fish harvesters need their voices heard so that those who are adjacent and reliant on this stock can reap the benefits of their 32 years of conservation efforts, the committee begin a study of at least four meetings into the impact of Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government’s betrayal of Canadian fish harvesters, and that the meetings consist of: (a) one 2-hour meeting with the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard; (b) one 2-hour meeting with officials from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard; (c) one 2-hour meeting with the Fish, Food, and Allied Workers Union (FFAW-Unifor); and (d) at least one meeting with stakeholders deemed relevant to the subject; and, that the committee report its findings to the House.

Debate arose thereon.

At 11:31 a.m., the meeting was suspended.

At 11:36 a.m., the meeting resumed.

At 11:49 a.m., the meeting was suspended.

At 11:50 a.m., the meeting resumed.

At 11:52 a.m., the meeting was suspended.

At 11:58 a.m., the meeting resumed.

The question was put on the motion, as amended, and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Mel Arnold, Lisa Marie Barron, Richard Bragdon, Caroline Desbiens, Brendan Hanley, Ken Hardie, Mike Kelloway, Wayne Long, Robert J. Morrissey, Rick Perkins, Clifford Small — 11;

NAYS: — 0.

The motion, as amended, read as follows:

That, given that the Fish, Food, and Allied Workers Union (FFAW-Unifor) has recently stated that “the federal Liberal government has completely and utterly failed our province and the recovery of the great Northern cod stock”, and that Cod is a culturally, socially, and economically significant fishery that impacts many coastal communities in Newfoundland and Labrador, the committee begin a study of at least four meetings into the impact of the reopening of the cod fishery on Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec that has repercussions on the St. Lawrence River’s fish stocks; that this study begin immediately, interspersed with the derelict and abandoned vessels' study; that the committee report its findings to the House; and that, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee request that the government provide a comprehensive response to the report.

Mel Arnold moved, — That the committee request the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard to appear before the committee for no less than 2 hours, within 14 days of the adoption of this motion, in relation to her mandate and current priorities for fisheries, oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard.

Debate arose thereon.

At 12:20 p.m., the meeting was suspended.

At 12:23 p.m., the meeting resumed.

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

The motion, as amended, read as follows:

That the committee request the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard to appear before the committee for no less than 2 hours, on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, in relation to her mandate and current priorities for fisheries, oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard.

Rick Perkins moved, — That with regard to media reports that the former Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard ignored a peace on the water accord between the Sipekne’katik First Nation and commercial fishermen in Saint Mary’s Bay, and given that in the years following: (i) organized crime has profited and flourished off the trade of unlicensed lobster harvests; and (ii) Acadian and first nation communities have been routinely terrorized around the Clare area through arson and violence, the committee therefore agrees to hold two meetings to investigate why the minister ignored this agreement, and that committee agree to invite the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, her officials, former Chief of the Sipekne’katik First Nation Mike Sack, and the president of the United Fisheries Conservation Association, Colin Sproul, and that these meetings begin following the completion of the cod study.

Debate arose thereon.

At 12:29 p.m., the meeting was suspended.

At 12:31 p.m., the meeting resumed.