Question Period Note: Great Lakes Fishery Commission

Great Lakes Fishery Commission

The Government is committed to preserving our freshwater resources and protecting the Great Lakes from invasive species.

The Great Lakes are important to the economy, health and well-being of both Canada and the United States.

The Commission’s efforts are vital to controlling sea lampreys, conducting scientific research, and maintaining cooperation among Canadian and American agencies in the management and health of the Great Lakes and the transboundary fisheries.

I know that the Commission is advocating for a governance change, and that a related motion was introduced during the previous session of the House. I assure you that we are assessing the implications and funding needs of the Commission.

Our goal is to ensure that the Commission is best positioned to fulfill its mandate and receive the necessary support from our government to that end.

• The Great Lakes Fishery Commission (GLFC) was established by the 1954 Convention on Great Lakes Fisheries between Canada and the United States of America, with the objective of protecting and sustaining the Great Lakes fishery.
• The 1954 Convention charges the commission with five major duties:
1. develop a binational research program aimed at sustaining Great Lakes fish stocks;
2. coordinate or conduct research consistent with that program;
3. recommend measures to governments that protect and improve the fishery;
4. formulate and implement a comprehensive sea lamprey control program; and
5. publish or authorize publication of scientific and other information critical to sustaining the fishery.
• The GLFC is made up of eight Commissioners (four each from Canada and the United States [US]) and one US Alternate Commissioner. The GLFC operates under the direction of the Commissioners, and functionally operates independently from government.
• Canada and the US government support the Commission through a cost-sharing arrangement that reflects the distribution of territorial waters and the value of each nation’s fishery. Canada agreed at the inaugural meeting under the 1954 Convention to contribute 31 per cent of funding for the transboundary sea lamprey control work, and 50 per cent of other research and administrative costs (e.g. secretariat/salaries). The US provides the remaining funding.
• In recent years the US government has decided to increase its contributions to the Commission; however, Canadian contributions have remained static. Canadian contribution is presently $10.6M per year.
• As part of the Budget 2021 process, the Department put forward a proposal seeking additional incremental funding of $44.2M over five years and $8.84M ongoing for the GLFC, to ensure that Canada meets its bilateral treaty requirement with the US. The proposal was not funded.
• In recent years, the GLFC has been lobbying key stakeholders in the US and Canada, including Members of Parliament (MPs), and US Senators and Representatives, with their request for a portfolio change. Subsequently in April, eighteen MPs wrote to Minister Garneau requesting a change in Canadian leadership for the GLFC from DFO to Global Affairs Canada (GAC).
• A motion was also introduced in June, during the previous session of the House of Commons, requesting an immediate transfer of responsibility for the GLFC to GAC. With the dissolution of the 43rd Parliament on August 15, 2021, all associated Parliamentary business and activity, including motions before the House, lapsed. As a result, Motion-91 is no longer being considered. However, it is expected that an all-party motion on the GLFC will be reintroduced now that the House is in session again.
• In September, the GLFC followed this up with a letter from the Head of the Canadian Commissioners to the Prime Minister, Minister Garneau and Minister Jordan, requesting that the shift in federal responsibility be reflected in the forthcoming ministerial mandate letters. DFO and GAC, with support from the Privy Council Office and the Department of Justice, are assessing the implications of a possible change in federal leadership and fiscal responsibility for the GLFC. The deployment of the sea lamprey control program would remain with DFO.

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