Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans Report

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JK
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Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans Report

Post by JK »

Tucked away in this article about Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans report is this interesting tidbit:
The report also recommends that the Canadian Coast Guard become a separate statutory agency, making it accountable to the federal transport minister and allowing for more long-term capital planning with predictable funding.
In 1995, the Canadian Coast Guard was transferred to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans as part of a cost-savings measure by Jean Chretien's Liberal government.
"Right now, it’s operating over to the side and we believe it will be more effective, more efficient if it was operating on its own," said Manning, the Senate committee's chairman.
"They would be able to, more or less, oversee their own operation, have more say in capital expenditures, more say in revenue generation, more say in how the product is delivered to Canadians."
The coast guard should have a 20-year capital plan to reflect the "need for the fleet's renewal, update and modernization," the report said.
As well, the report makes a number of recommendations aimed at bolstering search and rescue resources in the Canadian Arctic, where marine traffic is forecast to increase.
That's pretty significant, if I understand it. Right now DFO does all of the CCG backdoor work. HR, financial, security and other personnel support. CCG would have to develop it if they were to go as their own agency.
ETA, I have now learnt is the recommendation was for CCG to move from DFO back to TC, 23 years after the change from TC to DFO. The neverending turning wheel of government moving into another revolution.


In the other part, they are suggesting fishing boats have Epirbs. Seriously, someone who goes to sea for a living needs to have this told to them? That's pretty basic costs for a fisherman to spend in order to have someone find them if the unthinkable happens. That they don't is incredible.

https://www.thechronicleherald.ca/news/ ... rt-263920/
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Re: Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans Report

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RECOMMENDATION 1:

1a) The committee recommends that the Canadian Coast Guard establish additional primary search and rescue stations in the Canadian Arctic to meet the growing demand in areas where marine activity is forecasted to increase.

1b) The committee also recommends that the final decision on the location of these search and rescue stations be made in consultation with local communities.

RECOMMENDATION 2:

2a) The committee recommends that the Canadian Coast Guard establish the Coastal Nations Search and Rescue Course as a permanent training program at its Rigid Hull Inflatable Operator Training School in Bamfield, British Columbia.

2b) The committee also recommends that the Canadian Coast Guard, in consultation with stakeholders, expand this course to other coastal and Indigenous communities, particularly in the Canadian Arctic.

RECOMMENDATION 3:

3a) The committee recommends that the Canadian Coast Guard, in collaboration with the Canadian Coast Guard College, expand and intensify its human resource recruitment strategy to target a broader audience.

3b) The committee recommends that the strategy have a particular focus on attracting and retaining Indigenous cadets and employees within the Canadian Coast Guard organization.

3c) The committee recommends that Indigenous employees proficient in Inuktitut be recruited by the Canadian Coast Guard in the Canadian Arctic.

RECOMMENDATION 4:
The committee recommends that the Canadian Armed Forces seize the opportunity afforded by the Defence Investment Plan 2018 to increase and diversify its search and rescue workforce to respond to the increased demand for search and rescue.

RECOMMENDATION 4:
The committee recommends that the Canadian Armed Forces seize the opportunity afforded by the Defence Investment Plan 2018 to increase and diversify its search and rescue workforce to respond to the increased demand for search and rescue.

RECOMMENDATION 5:
The committee recommends that, as a pilot project, the Department of National Defence authorize a civilian helicopter operator to provide aeronautical search and rescue coverage in the Canadian Arctic and in Newfoundland and Labrador. The assessment of the pilot project, including its costs and benefits, should be made public.

RECOMMENDATION 6:
The committee recommends that the National Arctic Search and Rescue Roundtable be reinstated as soon as possible and that similar roundtables be created in other search and rescue regions to help address regional and local issues.

RECOMMENDATION 7:
The committee recommends that the Canadian Coast Guard increase the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary’s funding in order to, at a minimum, offset higher operational expenses, and to ensure that Auxiliary members maintain training in accordance with the national competency standards.

RECOMMENDATION 8:
The committee recommends that the Canadian Coast Guard establish a Maritime Search and Rescue Fund to support the purchase of equipment and services needed by regional Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary organizations.

RECOMMENDATION 9:
The committee recommends that the Canadian Coast Guard assist regional Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary organizations to diversify their funding sources.

RECOMMENDATION 10:
The committee recommends that the Canadian Coast Guard establish additional Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary units in the Arctic Region, with funding dedicated to recruitment, operations, equipment, training, and where appropriate, vessels.

RECOMMENDATION 11:
The committee recommends that Transport Canada amend its regulations to extend the mandatory use of emergency position-indicating radio beacons (or EPIRBs) to vessels in all fishing fleets. A timeline of two years should be given to the fishing industry to achieve mandatory EPIRB carriage.

RECOMMENDATION 12:
The committee recommends that Transport Canada develop and disseminate user-friendly information regarding vessel stability to reduce unsafe practices in the commercial fishing industry.

RECOMMENDATION 13:
The committee recommends that Fisheries and Oceans Canada ensure that its regulations and practices give priority to fish harvester safety.

RECOMMENDATION 14:
The committee recommends that, through the Canadian Marine Advisory Council, Transport Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and the Canadian Coast Guard work with fishery safety organizations and fish harvesters to develop a national action plan on safety in the commercial fishing industry. This action plan should be provided to the Committee within three years of the tabling of this report in the Senate of Canada.

RECOMMENDATION 15:
The committee recommends that Transport Canada transfer the responsibility of search and rescue prevention and recreational boating safety back to the Canadian Coast Guard along with the associated funding.

RECOMMENDATION 16:
The committee recommends that the Government of Canada, through the Canadian Coast Guard, and in collaboration with Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary units, local communities, and other partners, increase radio coverage in Canada’s Arctic and in other remote communities.

RECOMMENDATION 17:

17a) The committee recommends that the Canadian Coast Guard be established as a separate statutory agency reporting to the Minister of Transport.

17b) The committee also recommends that capital planning be extended to 20 years to reflect the need for the fleet’s renewal, upgrade, and modernization.
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