STATEMENT: Another Decision Without Science Reasons or a Plan

For Immediate Release

February 23, 2023

Victoria, BC: Mel Arnold, Member of Parliament for the North Okanagan-Shuswap and Associate Shadow Minister for Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard released the following statement today regarding the Trudeau government’s recent announcement regarding open net-pen salmon farms in the Discovery Islands of British Columbia:

“The Minister of Fisheries and Oceans must make conservation and management decisions informed by sound science and provide decisions to Canadians with reasons, including science reasons, for the decisions.

“Although the Minister of Fisheries and Ocean’s mandate letter directs her to take action to build a brighter future through the use of science and evidence-based decision-making, she has issued another decision without providing the science or evidence that she based her decision on, and without a plan being in place to support affected workers and communities.

“This decision extends a troubling pattern of Trudeau government announcements including the 2019 campaign promise to transition Pacific salmon farms and the first Discovery Islands decision in 2020- both of which were delivered without science reasons or a support plan for affected British Columbians and communities.

“After eight years, the Trudeau government continues to fail to provide transparency and accountability in its fisheries and oceans decisions.

“Canadians deserve better, and Conservatives will continue to fight for the transparency, accountability and evidence-based conservation management that Canadians can trust to rebuild stability in Canada’s fisheries.”