Liberals Call on Conservative Government to Support Lobster Fishers
June 6, 2013
OTTAWA– The Conservative government must immediately take action to address the crisis in Atlantic Canada’s lobster fishery, said Liberal Fisheries and Oceans critic Lawrence MacAulay today.
“Our lobster fishers are losing money with these slumping prices every time they fish and try to sell their catch, and this has spiralled into a disastrous situation where all levels of government must take action,” said Mr. MacAulay. “Now is simply not the time for the Harper Conservatives to sit on their hands. I trust they will support a thorough study of this serious situation at the Fisheries and Oceans Committee. We must hear from everyone involved, including lobster fishers.”
Today, Mr. MacAulay will introduce his second motion at the Fisheries and Oceans Committee calling witnesses from all Atlantic provinces and Quebec, as well as each sector of the industry, in order to conduct a thorough study of the lobster fishery crisis and table a report with recommendations in the House of Commons by September. When the crisis first broke in early May, Mr. MacAulay immediately introduced a motion to have a committee study. That motion was debated in secret and the motion eventually adopted saw only the Lobster Council of Canada called as a witness and had no references to doing a study on the situation or making recommendations to the government. Departmental officials were later invited to appear before the committee.
“The Maritime provinces have already taken action and set up an interprovincial panel with knowledgeable fisheries experts looking into this matter, but the federal government has a vital role to play as well, as this industry affects our entire region and country,” said Mr. MacAulay. “It is wholly unacceptable that the Conservatives are absent on this issue given the very serious situation being faced by hard working fishers and their families.”
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Background:
Mr. MacAulay’s motion is as follows:
That, due to the current crisis being faced by the Canadian lobster fishery, the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans, whether or not the House of Commons is in session, immediately convene a study on the current crisis, including but not limited to hearing from witnesses such as provincial and federal fisheries officials, lobster harvesters, processors, shippers/distributors, and retailers, from Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador, that the Committee make recommendations to the government to rectify the crisis and strengthen the economic viability of lobster fishers, and that the report and recommendations be tabled in the House of Commons no later than September 2013.