Minister Wilkinson received his mandate letter today from PM Justin Trudeau.
Please find the link below for the full letter.
Trudeau listed the Minister's top priorities which may affect coastal communities and the commercial fishing industry:
"In particular, I will expect you to work with your colleagues and through established legislative, regulatory, and Cabinet processes to deliver on your top priorities:
- Work with the Ministers of Transport, Environment and Climate Change, and Natural Resources to implement and further develop the Oceans Protection Plan. With the world’s longest coastline, Canada must have a world-leading plan to protect it and marine species at risk. Pursue additional initiatives working with provinces, territories, Indigenous Peoples and Canadians to better co-manage our three ocean coasts.
- Develop new and innovative approaches to modernize fisheries and aquaculture and responsible economic development on all three coasts. This should include initiatives that create and sustain good middle class jobs, leverage new technologies, and ensure the long-term sustainability of Canada’s oceans economy.
- Advance Bill C-68, the proposed reforms to the Fisheries Act, which seeks to restore lost protections, and incorporate modern safeguards so that fish and fish habitat are protected for future generations and so that Canada’s fisheries can continue to grow Canada’s economy and sustain coastal communities.
- As the government met its target of protecting 5% of our marine and coastal areas by 2017, work with the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to achieve our 10% target by 2020. This should include minimum protection standards for Canada’s marine protected areas and marine refuges.
- Co-lead the implementation of the G7 Charlevoix Blueprint for Healthy Oceans, Seas and Resilient Coastal Communities and the G7 Ocean Plastics Charter with the support of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, with a particular focus on plastics, illegal and unreported and unregulated fishing, and ocean monitoring.
- Working with the Minister of Science and Sport, use scientific evidence, traditional Indigenous knowledge, and the precautionary principle, and take into account climate change, when making decisions affecting fish stocks and ecosystem management."
The priority dealing with protected areas differs from previous Minister Leblanc's letter:
Minister LeBlanc's mandate letter:
"Work with the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to increase the proportion of Canada’s marine and coastal areas that are protected – to five percent by 2017, and ten percent by 2020 – supported by new investments in community consultation and science."
Minister Wilkinson's letter:
"As the government met its target of protecting 5% of our marine and coastal areas by 2017, work with the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to achieve our 10% target by 2020. This should include minimum protection standards for Canada’s marine protected areas and marine refuges."
Full mandate letter:
***If you know of members who are not receiving emails please contact tiare@leewardltd.com to have email address' updated.***