Clifford Small

“The fisheries minister was wrong about crab quotas. I want to know if the Prime Minister will support our fishing workers or sell them out.”

“Mr. Speaker, crab fishermen and plant workers back home were not amused with that response from the member for St. John’s East. The Minister of Fisheries should at least know that next year’s crab quotas will be set next year, which is in opposition to what she said, that the quotas have not been announced. Maybe she is catering her response to the French fishermen she met last summer. Will the Liberal Prime Minister stand with our fishing industry, or has he already sold it out like he did with our steel producers?”

“The government is hurting Canadian fishers. It is letting European fishers back into our waters after they spent years overfishing our stocks. The Prime Minister should cancel this fishing deal with France to protect Canadian jobs.”

“Mr. Speaker, obviously, the minister is not familiar with this issue. The Liberal government has turned its back on Canada’s fishing industry. The Prime Minister is abandoning our sovereignty in favour of Europeans, who have a long history of destroying Canadian fish stocks. Yesterday, the Minister of Fisheries bragged about how she hung out with fishermen in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon. Conservatives stand with Canadian coastal communities instead of those on the French islands. Will the Liberal Prime Minister change course and cancel this deal with France to protect Canadian livelihoods?”

• Little substance
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  Opposition question in Question Period

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  Much of this statement went to praise, blame, greetings, routine procedure or general stories rather than reasons, requests or specific points.

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“France announced a quota to catch Canadian snow crab right after its president met with the Prime Minister. I want to know why the Prime Minister is giving away our fishing rights to France.”

“Mr. Speaker, President Macron of France has announced a 1,500-metric-ton quota of snow crab, to be caught on Canada’s continental shelf. He released this shortly after his meeting with the Liberal Prime Minister a few days ago. According to French media, this Canadian crab will be caught by a French vessel and landed in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon. Why is the Liberal Prime Minister selling out our fishery to France, which has not even ratified CETA?”

“The government needs to stop bragging about its dental care program and fix it. Many seniors are still getting surprise bills they cannot afford, including one senior in my area who was billed $10,000.”

“Madam Speaker, it is great to stand on behalf of the people of Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame and speak for the first time as the member for the riding that has its former name back. I just heard Prime Minister Trudeau’s and his successor’s special spokesman brag about the success of the dental program and how it brings down the cost of living. Our constituency assistants have a group chat with other assistants right across Canada. The number one common issue that they are dealing with is seniors who have fallen through the cracks of this super-duper dental program. They are finding that after they have had their treatment or received their dentures or whatever procedure they had, they get a $100 bill, a $500 bill or a $900 bill. Last evening my constituency assistant from Gander told me that a senior citizen had gotten a $10,000 bill, and they do not know how to pay it. They are shocked. My question is for the spokesman for the Prime Minister. Will he stop bragging about this failed program, or will the government simply fix it?”

“Chinese tariffs are hurting Canadian sea cucumber fishers. If the Prime Minister has a good relationship with China, why are these tariffs still there?”

“Mr. Speaker, Brett Cox, a fisherman from English Harbour West, reached out to me yesterday and said, “We need the tariff gone on sea cucumber or that fishery is done.” He is referring to the 25% Chinese tariff, which still applies to all Canadian seafood except lobster and crab products. China is the second largest market for our seafood. If the Liberal Prime Minister’s new relationship with China is beneficial to Canada, why are these crippling tariffs still in place?”

“The fisheries minister promised money to protect Atlantic salmon, but she closed two research centres and has not hired river guardians. We need to protect spawning salmon, or they will die out. Will the member ask the minister to keep her promise?”

“Mr. Speaker, I listened to my colleague’s speech on the spring economic statement. I know that he comes from a riding in New Brunswick where salmon are paramount in Restigouche. The Minister of Fisheries announced $82 million towards making Atlantic salmon as they once were, in a great healthy state. At the same time that she made that announcement, she cut two biodiversity centres, which were long established, one in New Brunswick, the member’s home province, and one in Nova Scotia. In my province of Newfoundland and Labrador, she has not even laid out contracts for river guardians this year. If we do not protect spawners, then there will be no spawn, and salmon will be finished. Will the member question the minister to make sure she puts her money where her mouth is?”

• Off topic
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  Question or comment in debate

  Relevance 0 of 100

  None of this question addressed the preceding speech or the topic under debate.

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“The Prime Minister failed to get China to remove tariffs on most Canadian seafood. Our fishers and plant workers are hurting because of this. When will the government get a real, lasting deal to stop these tariffs?”

“Mr. Speaker, this Liberal Prime Minister bragged about his deal with China to remove tariffs from Canadian seafood. There were 49 seafood products subjected to 25% Canadian tariffs, but this government secured exemption for only two species and only until the end of this year. Harvesters and plant workers who rely on Chinese markets for turbot, sea cucumber, whelk, capelin, geoduck, shrimp and surf clams are reeling from these tariffs. When will these Liberals secure real, lasting relief from Chinese tariffs and stop failing the Canadian seafood industry?”