SoVote

Mr. Clifford Small (Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, CPC)

Oct/6/23 10:26:31 a.m.
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Re: Bill C-49

Mr. Speaker, I heard the member for Sydney—Victoria talk at great length on the consultation with indigenous peoples on Bill C-49, which is very important. Not long ago, I spoke with one of his fellow Nova Scotian colleagues, who reiterated the same, so I asked him about consultation with non-indigenous fishermen. His response to me was, “Who cares about them? Why are you looking for trouble?” Does the member for Sydney—Victoria agree with his fellow Nova Scotian Liberal colleague that consulting with non-indigenous fishermen is asking for trouble?

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Context: House Hansard - 231 - Oct/6/23

Mr. Jaime Battiste

Oct/6/23 10:27:13 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, our direction of making sure that we are looking at clean energy and clean wind energy, as well as our commitment to the environment, is going to help all fishermen in the Atlantic. We heard loud and clear from the United Nations, when I was out there at the conference in the spring, that the stocks and all the fisheries are jeopardized by climate change. Unless we have a plan for the environment and for climate change, we do not have a plan for the fishermen who rely on those industries. It is important for us to understand that all benefit from our shift to the green and clean future, especially the fishermen of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Cape Breton, where I am.

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Context: House Hansard - 231 - Oct/6/23

Mr. Clifford Small (Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, CPC)

Oct/6/23 1:28:04 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-49

Mr. Speaker, as with most Liberal legislation, when it comes to Bill C-49, an act that would amend the Atlantic accord, the devil is always in the details. This bill is a framework for the development of offshore wind energy in Atlantic Canada, and it is necessary, but it needs to be done right. In my speech today, I will address concerns brought to me by the fishing industry, in my role as shadow minister for Fisheries and Oceans, and by representatives and stakeholders in the oil and gas industry. As I am the only MP from Newfoundland and Labrador who has the freedom to address the shortcomings of Bill C-49, stakeholders from these industries have put their faith in me to address their concerns on the floor of the House. I will start with what I have heard from representatives of seven fish harvester organizations, which are mainly in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as throughout Atlantic Canada. The main concern raised by stakeholders is the lack of detail on the consultation process required with their industry. Most in the industry, including those who sat in on an information session on September 12 by the committee for the regional assessment of offshore wind development in Newfoundland and Labrador, are concerned about the process. Lobster fishermen I met with in Nova Scotia are concerned with how offshore wind energy will impact their ability to fish. The Liberal government, which is heavily influenced by hard-core environmentalists who often proclaim themselves to be stakeholders, does not have a good track record when it comes to setting aside areas where fishing activity is no longer permitted or where new restrictions are put in place. The fishing industry is not against development of offshore wind energy. However, from its point of view, Bill C-49 pays lip service to consultations.

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