Fisherman's Road

I gave the following 10-minute speech Monday in the House of Commons on a private member’s bill to ban supertankers from British Columbia’s North Coast. Mr. Speaker, I stand in support of Bill C-628, an Act to amend the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 and the National Energy Board Act. My party, the New Democratic Party of Canada, has stood with First Nations and communities across British Columbia in their opposition to the Enbridge Northern Gateway since day 1. This Bill would enshrine a crude oil tanker ban on British Columbia’s North Coast into law, it would set it in stone. Mr. Speaker, I’ve never been to B.C. North Coast. In fact, I’ve only been to British Columbia once — to the City of Vancouver two or three years ago. As you know, Mr. Speaker, I represent St. John’s South-Mount Pearl in Newfoundland and Labrador. As a representative of Canada’s most easterly province, I’m on my feet here today speaking about a bill impacting Canada’s most westerly province. We share a lo...

March 25, 2015 Bruce A. Heyman Embassy of the United States to Canada 100 Wellington St, Ottawa, ON K1AOA6   Mr. Heyman, I am writing with deep concern over misinformation being spread by United States Customs and Border Protection agents that seal populations found off of Canada’s East Coast are an endangered species. A Newfoundland and Labrador woman’s seal-skin purse was confiscated recently at the U.S. border checkpoint in Bridgewater, Maine after agents informed her that seals are an “endangered species.” The seal-skin purse in question was purchased in Corner Brook, Newfoundland and was likely made from the pelt of a harp seal. According to Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans, the Northwest Atlantic harp seal herd is estimated at 7.3 million animals and is not “endangered.” The grey seal herd found in the Gulf of St. Lawrence has been estimated to number 350,000 animals, its highest level in 30 years. Neither of these herds is endangered. ...

I gave the following 10-minute speech today (March 24th) in the House of Commons on an Opposition day motion calling on the Conservative government to add microbeads to the list of toxic substances under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. Mr. Speaker, My speech on microbeads - small pieces of plastic found in consumer products like facial cleaners, shower gel and toothpaste - begins in the year 1997. Eighteen years ago in the waters off the northeast coast of Newfoundland. And an incident that came to mind the instant I heard of this Opposition Day Motion outlining how microbeads could have serious health impacts, and calling on this government to add microbeads to the list of toxic substances managed by the federal government under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. Now getting to my story. The year 1997 was the 500th anniversary of John Cabot’s discovery of Newfoundland, and a great year in the history of the world it was, Mr. Speaker. ...

I posed the following question today (March 23rd) during Question Period in the House of Commons: Mr. Speaker, The Conservatives are poking the Newfoundland and Labrador bear over shrimp quotas and failing to put coastal communities first. Last year, inshore harvesters lost 26 per cent of their quota, compared to only five per cent for the inshore fleet. And despite concerns about declining shrimp stock, we are hearing there might not be quota cuts — but the science doesn't add up … we don't even know what the science is. Mr. Speaker, Will the Conservative government commit now to the principle of adjacency—those closest to the resource must benefit from the resource?

I posed the following questions on Thursday, March 12th, during Fisheries and Oceans Committee... Mr. Ryan Cleary (St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NDP): Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you to the witnesses again for returning. Mr. Rosser, just a few questions on some statements you just made. One of the statements you made was that “a flag State might want to direct a foreign vessel to Canadian port so as to not to compromise the evidence”. To your recollection, sir, in terms of foreign vessels outside the 200 mile limit, not inside Canadian waters, how often has that happened in the past 10 years? Mr. Tom Rosser: Thank you for the question. There is one instance that I'm aware of where a foreign flag vessel fishing outside of Canada's exclusive economic zone was directed by its flag State into a Canadian port. But under legislation as currently enacted, my understanding is that unless the boat requests entry into the port itself which it may not chose to do, i...

I posed the following question today (March 11) in the House of Commons. Mr. Speaker, First, Canada Post eliminated home delivery without consulting Canadians. Now, they`re sending letters to people in St. John`s notifying them that they`ll soon have a community mailbox right in front of their homes on city easements. And they did this without consulting residents or getting the approval of the City of St. John`s. Mr. Speaker, How can the Minister allow Canada Post to install these mailboxes so close to people`s homes and properties without permission?

I gave the above one-minute statement today (March 11th) in the House of Commons.

I posed the following question Tuesday, March 10th, during Question Period in the House of Commons. Mr. speaker, The ferry MV Apollo has been stranded for over a week in St. Barbe on Newfoundland's Great Northern Peninsula. Passengers are forced to sleep in cars, some have run out of medications, and perishable foods are spoiling in trucks, while everyone waits for help. It's inexcusable that a vital link should be out of commission for so long - with no end in sight. Mr. Speaker, When will this government stop ignorning the urgent situation and send in a heavy icebreaker to free the Apollo?

I gave  the  following speech on Saturday, March 7, during the leadership convention of the New Democratic Party of Newfoundland and Labrador.  Good afternoon. I woke up this morning and my first thought was it’s a great day to be a New Democrat. I had a wonderful time at Lorraine’s event last night — the music by the Michael family, the speeches by her closest friends, the atmosphere of respect, love and hope. It’s funny, but it's not until the eve of Lorraine’s leaving that I really got to know her and all that she’s done for social justice all over the world. Lorraine was some cute sliver of a youngster, too. There was a rally in Gander this past week with hundreds of fishery workers from every nook and cranny of the northeast coast. There must have been a dozen speeches. Lorraine got behind the podium, on her stool, and — as was said last night at her tribute dinner — she was a giant. Lorraine spoke without notes, just passion, com...