Speech (committee meeting)

{
    "time": "2009-03-26 12:00:00",
    "attribution": {
        "en": "Hon. Gerry Byrne (Humber\u2014St. Barbe\u2014Baie Verte, Lib.)",
        "fr": ""
    },
    "content": {
        "en": "<p data-HoCid=\"1386416\" data-originallang=\"en\">Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1386417\" data-originallang=\"en\">I guess we'll hear directly from Ms. Ridgeway in the context of our questions.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1386418\" data-originallang=\"en\">What I basically want to know, Ms. Ridgeway, is if there's a particular element of your international plan that you're particularly proud of in your accomplishments. One of the things I've noted in relation to your line of duties was your help in negotiating and skilfully managing various complex and difficult files, such as the amendments to the NAFO convention, the defence of the Canadian seal hunt, the negotiations related to the WTO and fishery subsidies, and, as well, the Law of the Sea and the jurisdiction over the extended continental shelf.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1386419\" data-originallang=\"en\">One of the concerns I have is that we've had two former assistant deputy ministers of Fisheries and Oceans come before this committee and say that the amendments to the NAFO convention that have recently been negotiated are, quite frankly, destructive of Canadian international policy interests. We now have a situation where France will soon be claiming a significant portion of Canada's continental shelf and will be filing that claim with the United Nations under the Law of the Sea provisions. We have a complete ban potentially occurring in Europe on Canadian seal products. And we all know that Canada's position with regard to WTO and international fishing subsidies does not mesh with the rapporteur's recommendations or report. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1386420\" data-originallang=\"en\">For the money that has been spent on international policy development, we as a committee, or some of us on the committee, feel that we have been less than successful on those elements. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1386421\" data-originallang=\"en\">Why don't you add some input on those concerns I've raised?</p>",
        "fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"1386416\" data-originallang=\"en\">Merci beaucoup, monsieur le pr\u00e9sident.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1386417\" data-originallang=\"en\">Je suppose que nous saurons ce qu'en pense Mme Ridgeway elle-m\u00eame en r\u00e9ponse \u00e0 nos questions.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1386418\" data-originallang=\"en\">Ce que j'aimerais essentiellement savoir, madame Ridgeway, c'est s'il y a un \u00e9l\u00e9ment pr\u00e9cis, dans le cadre de vos r\u00e9alisations \u00e0 l'\u00e9chelle internationale, dont vous \u00eates particuli\u00e8rement fi\u00e8re. D'apr\u00e8s ce que je constate dans la liste de vos fonctions, vous avez contribu\u00e9 \u00e0 la n\u00e9gociation et \u00e0 la gestion habile de divers dossiers complexes et \u00e9pineux, comme les modifications apport\u00e9es \u00e0 la Convention de l'OPANO, la d\u00e9fense de la chasse canadienne aux phoques, les n\u00e9gociations concernant les subventions aux p\u00eaches \u00e0 l'OMC, ainsi que le droit de la mer et l'exercice de la comp\u00e9tence sur le plateau continental \u00e9tendu.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1386419\" data-originallang=\"en\">Un des points qui me pr\u00e9occupent, c'est que de l'avis de deux anciens sous-ministres adjoints des P\u00eaches et Oc\u00e9ans qui ont comparu devant notre comit\u00e9, les modifications apport\u00e9es \u00e0 la Convention de l'OPANO \u00e0 la suite de r\u00e9centes n\u00e9gociations vont tout simplement \u00e0 l'encontre des int\u00e9r\u00eats du Canada en mati\u00e8re de politique internationale. Voil\u00e0 qu'on se retrouve devant une situation o\u00f9 la France revendiquera bient\u00f4t une partie importante du plateau continental du Canada aupr\u00e8s des Nations Unies en vertu des dispositions du droit de la mer. Par ailleurs, il se peut que l'Europe interdise compl\u00e8tement les produits canadiens d\u00e9riv\u00e9s de la chasse aux phoques. Et nous savons tous que la position du Canada face aux subventions internationales aux p\u00eaches dans le cadre de l'OMC ne correspond pas aux recommandations ou au bilan du rapporteur.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1386420\" data-originallang=\"en\">\u00c0 voir la quantit\u00e9 de fonds consacr\u00e9s \u00e0 l'\u00e9laboration des politiques internationales, les membres du comit\u00e9, ou du moins certains d'entre eux, estiment que nous sommes loin d'avoir obtenu les r\u00e9sultats voulus dans ces dossiers.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1386421\" data-originallang=\"en\">Qu'avez-vous \u00e0 dire au sujet des pr\u00e9occupations que je viens de soulever?</p>"
    },
    "url": "/committees/fisheries/40-2/11/gerry-byrne-1/",
    "politician_url": "/politicians/gerry-byrne/",
    "politician_membership_url": "/politicians/memberships/3681/",
    "procedural": false,
    "source_id": "2677466",
    "document_url": "/committees/fisheries/40-2/11/",
    "related": {
        "document_speeches_url": "/speeches/?document=%2Fcommittees%2Ffisheries%2F40-2%2F11%2F"
    }
}