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John Cummins, MP - News 2004
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Fisheries |
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Petition for Judicial Inquiry
2004 Fraser River Sockeye Escapement Crisis
 In Adobe Acrobat .pdf format
 In Microsoft Word .doc format
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November 2, 2004 |
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2004 Fraser River Sockeye Escapement Crisis: Review of Possible and Probable Causes in Aid of a Judicial Inquiry
In July and August of 2004, approximately 2 million sockeye disappeared from the Fraser River between Mission and the upriver spawning grounds. Preliminary escapement reports indicate that fewer fish are on the spawning grounds in 2004 than after the 1914 rockslide at Hells Gate.
Despite normal environmental conditions during their in-river migration, Early Stuart sockeye were
the first victim in the 2004 tragedy. Of the 187,000 Early Stuart sockeye that passed under the
bridge spanning the Fraser at Mission only 9,244 arrived at the spawning grounds.
The 2004 disaster means that in 2008 (sockeye are on a four year cycle) the Fraser sockeye fishery will be closed in its entirety. Depending on returns, this disaster will cost the BC economy between $170 and $500 million in 2008 with hopefully declining losses in 2012 and 2016. This does not include the spiritual, recreational and symbolic value of Fraser sockeye which is a defining feature of British Columbia.
Though DFO blames warm water for the missing fish, intense aboriginal fisheries in the Fraser Canyon area continued virtually non-stop throughout key sockeye migration periods. Between July 1 and August 15 migrating salmon experienced only three net free days upriver of Mission. On all other days, as many as 560 nets blocked the free passage of salmon intensifying the stressful conditions encountered by the fish as water temperatures increased throughout the summer.
Commercial fishing in the Fraser Canyon is a lethal and wasteful form of fishing and is the reason why all commercial fishing above Mission was banned in 1900. It is a practice that would not be tolerated if it was utilized in the public commercial fishery. Set-net fishing in the Fraser Canyon must be subject to an immediate moratorium.
Following on the heels of the loss of a half million sockeye in 1992 and again in 1994 this year’s disaster, the loss of approximately 2 million fish, destroys any remaining claim that DFO has as a credible manager of the Fraser River salmon fishery. Sadly, it equally marks the apparent futility of the efforts of thousands of Canadians and Americans whose working lives were spent rebuilding Fraser sockeye following the initiation of joint efforts by Canada and the United States in 1938.
This report reviews substantive facts related to the mismanagement of the 2004 Fraser sockeye fishery and compares DFO’s excuse for the 2004 disaster with their identical discredited attempts to blame the 1992 and 1994 disasters on the weather. It also makes clear the need for an independent judicial inquiry into the management of the Fraser River salmon fishery, immediate
regulatory changes in the aboriginal fishery and the need for an immediate moratorium on set-net
fishing in the Fraser Canyon. (more)
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369 kB |
October 16, 2004 |
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OTTAWA- "The amendments to the Fisheries Act contained in Bill C-33 fail to give the Department of Fisheries authority to allow for separate race-based fisheries such as the pilot sales program on the Fraser River," said John Cummins, M.P. (Delta-South Richmond). The Bill gives the Fisheries Department bureaucrats the authority to issue communal fishing licenses to aboriginal organizations. The aboriginal organization holding the communal license would license the fisherman and vessels participating in the fisheries permitted by the license, an authority presently reserved for the Minister. The effect of C-33 is to give literally hundreds of aboriginal organizations across the country the licensing authority currently reserved for the Minister... (more)
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May 12, 2004 |
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Mr. John Cummins: Go back to last June, Mr. Chairman, and there were a couple of Fisheries officers who attended onto the reserve to take some enforcement actions. They got into a whole lot of difficulty, Mr. Chairman. At the time, the fishing was closed to the Cheam Band, and fishing restrictions had been put in place to protect migrating Chinook salmon. When these officers went on to the Cheam reserve to do the job, they were threatened with a club and later with a shovel. The band member also threatened to drive his grader machine into the DFO vehicle, pushing it into the Fraser River. Fisheries officers drew their side arms and used pepper spray to subdue the individual... ...Mr. Chairman, in a note that I have, a document that I received under Access to Information, Chilliwack stats, noted June 8: "As the result of confrontation, enforcement actions are suspended against Cheam." In a note which was prepared for the minister for question period, it said, "The minister is advised that Fisheries officers still refusing to do enforcement as they say it's not safe, following what happened in May and the subsequent enforcement agreement that DFO made with Cheam." It goes on to say that, "The internal investigation found the Fisheries officers behaved properly in the incident, and that still no action has been taken against the Cheam leader who threatened the officers with a shovel and a club and a road grader, or with those who fished illegally, and continue to fish illegally." In fact, no action was taken against the guy who threatened the Fisheries officers, was there?... ...My point is that these fisheries officers went on that
land to do their job and they weren't backed up by the department... People know; the native
bands like the Cheam know that the laws are not going to be enforced. Other bands know
that it's not being enforced against the Cheam. They're going to push as well, so you just
create an escalating problem. That's the issue here... ... (more)
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290 kB |
April 29, 2004 |
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OTTAWA- "John Fraser has warned the Minister of Fisheries that the Department of Fisheries is no longer up to the job of managing the salmon fishery," said John Cummins, M.P. (Delta-South Richmond)... (more)
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April 20, 2004 |
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OTTAWA- "The Minister of Fisheries and Oceans must ensure that sensitive migration routes and nursery and juvenile rearing areas for wild stocks are protected when authorizations are given for the establishment of salmon farm operations in the marine environment," said John Cummins, M.P. (Delta-South Richmond). Cummins posed the following question in Parliament today. It is listed on the House of Commons Order Paper as Q-17 and will remain on the Order Paper until the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans answers the question in Parliament... (more)
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February 4, 2004 |
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Coast Guard |
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OTTAWA- "Yesterday in a diving accident at Porteau Cove another life was lost. This time another life was lost, possibly because the federal government never bothered to replace the Coast Guard search and rescue hovercraft that went out of service in 2002," said John Cummins, M.P. (Delta-South Richmond). If the government had seen fit to replace the old hovercraft when it should have, the Coast Guard's crack dive team would have been on the scene without delay. In this case the team was forced to drive though Vancouver traffic in a frantic attempt to get to the scene... (more)
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May 13, 2004 |
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...In the past, we did have two hovercraft available at the Sea Island Coast Guard base. In October 2002, one of those hovercraft was taken out of service due to old age. We were promised a replacement by December of that year. We are still waiting for that replacement. The latest estimate is that it will not be ready until June of this year. The remaining hovercraft was taken out of service about a month ago due to a serious mechanical problem. It will not be available for service again for probably up to three months. This means that there is no hovercraft available to effect a rescue in the tidal flats off Vancouver, either for an accident at the airport or for any other tragedy that could occur on that very large expanse of water... (more)
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April 20, 2004 |
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OTTAWA- "A near total collapse of the search and rescue services for the Vancouver International Airport has occurred with flight restrictions placed on the Canadian Forces front line search and rescue helicopter, the Cormorant," said John Cummins, M.P. (Delta-South Richmond).
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April 2, 2004 |
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OTTAWA - "Yesterday local fishermen photographed the sorry spectacle of the Coast Guard's only remaining hovercraft on the West Coast being towed back to base by a much smaller rigid hull inflatable," said John Cummins, M.P. (Delta-South Richmond). Early reports indicate serious mechanical problems with the hovercraft, which could put it out of service for a month or more.... (more) Photo shows Coast Guard's only remaining Search and Rescue Hovercraft on the West Coast (right) being towed by an inflatable boat. Photos taken by Gary Biggar, a fisherman on the Island Spirit II, and are provided here with his permission... (more photos) |
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March 30, 2004 |
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307 kB |
Received
March 9, 2004 |
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The Bacon Donaldson Report found that the ferrule cracking on the props was the result of excessive cycle overload... (more)
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1335 kB |
December 23, 2003 |
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Westbank Bill C-11 |
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356 kB |
May 4, 2004 |
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Mr. John Cummins: ..."First, Westbank residents, both aboriginal and non-aboriginal will lose the protection of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Canadian Human Rights Act. Second, the bill recognizes and establishes a third order of government based on the inherent right that is incompatible with Canada's constitutional framework. Third, the bill eliminates any accountability for the millions of federal tax dollars that the bill requires to be paid to the Westbank government annually. In addition, the bill does not establish mechanisms to ensure fairness, equity, openness and transparency at the local level, tools that are necessary to empower local residents. Lastly, the bill will prohibit the 7,500 non-aboriginal Westbank residents from voting or otherwise participating in those aspects of Westbank government that will affect them"... (more)
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April 22, 2004 |
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Mr. John Cummins: Mr. Speaker, the issue here is the application of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms or the failure of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to apply here, and it is to that issue that I would like to address my comments. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms is designed to shield individuals from the arbitrary actions of their government. The charter provides individuals with a tool to challenge their government. All Canadians are covered by the charter. Yet, while all Canadians are covered by the charter, all Canadians are not equally protected by the charter. Some government actions are shielded from the application of the charter... (more)
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April 20, 2004 |
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"...I am enclosing a copy of a legal opinion on the Westbank Bill recently prepared by Chris Harvey, Q.C., of MacKenzie Fujisawa in Vancouver. Mr. Harvey makes it very clear that the Bill will have serious implications for British Columbia. Chris Harvey's legal analysis outlines how the Bill will recognize the Westbank Council as a third order of government grounded on a constitutionally based inherent right of self government with the authority to (i) block access to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, (ii) limit the right of access to the B.C. Courts; and (iii) override federal and provincial laws.".... (more)
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109 kB |
March 29, 2004 |
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"This is a disastrous piece of legislation and is why your CTF is strongly encouraging you to contact you local Member of Parliament, Minister of Indian Affairs, and Leader of the Official Opposition, Stephen Harper to persuade them to vote against the Westbank Self-Government Agreement, Bill C-11".... (more)
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March 2004 |
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Westbank Bill C-11 - Report Stage Debate
In the House of Commons
John Cummins, M.P., Delta-South Richmond, has submitted an amendment to ensure the application of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Canadian Human Rights Act to the Westbank government and law.
Contact John Cummins: 613 995-2957 or Cell 604 970-0937 |
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March 23, 2004 |
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Dear Sir: Re: Bill C-57 This responds to your request for an opinion on the question whether Bill C-57 conforms to requirements of Canadian constitutional law... (more)
(Note: C-57 was reintroduced as C-11. They are the same).
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178 kB |
January 20, 2004 |
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105 kB |
January 20, 2004 |
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Avian Flu |
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Mr. John Cummins (Delta—South Richmond, CPC): Madam Speaker, I am pleased to be able to address this very important issue this evening. As we all know, this virus, as we are told, is probably spread by wild birds and has struck chicken and turkey operations in British Columbia's Fraser Valley. I think the Fraser Valley alone represents 84% of B.C.'s $1 billion poultry industry. That is a huge industry. The impact on our communities in the Fraser Valley at large will be significant.... (more)
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116 kB |
April 20, 2004 |
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Mefloquine / Canadian Armed Forces |
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OTTAWA- "The adverse reaction reports compiled for mefloquine by Health Canada paint a troubling picture of problems associated with the anti-malarial drug," said John Cummins, M.P. (Delta-South Richmond).
... (more)
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April 16, 2004 |
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OTTAWA- "The possible link between suicide and mefloquine means that the Canadian military and Canada's drug regulator must take nothing for granted with this anti-malarial drug," said John Cummins, M.P. (Delta-South Richmond). "Experience to date suggests that neither the military nor the drug regulator have given the management of the risks associated with mefloquine the attention they deserve." Cummins asked a question in Parliament with regard to the risk management of the anti-malarial drug mefloquine by Health Canada and the Department of National Defence. The question is printed on the House of Commons Order Paper as Question 12 (Q-12). It will remain on the Order Paper until answered in Parliament by the Ministers of Health and National Defence.... (more)
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February 3, 2004 |
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Aquaculture |
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OTTAWA- "The Liberal government's decision to have aquaculture drive the agenda of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans will further endanger wild salmon and shellfish stocks and further erode public confidence in the Department," said John Cummins, M.P. (Delta-South Richmond)... (more)
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April 2, 2004 |
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OTTAWA-"Environmental assessments at fish farm sites are not being undertaken in a manner that will protect wild fish and shellfish stocks," said John Cummins, M.P. (Delta-South Richmond). "The Minister of Fisheries has compromised the environmental assessment process." Cummins today asked a detailed question on the status of environmental assessments involving sablefish and halibut aquaculture. It is recorded on the House of Commons Order Paper as Question 13 (Q-13) and will remain on the Order Paper until answered by the Minister of Fisheries in Parliament... (more)
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9 kB |
February 3, 2004 |
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Nautical Charts |
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OTTAWA- "Electronic charts are essential to modern navigation. I intend to find out why, what should be readily accessible public information has been turned over to Mohammed Al Zaidak and why the government has now decided to prosecute those who wish to use charts created with taxpayer's money," said John Cummins, M.P. (Delta-South Richmond). "Why has the government now decided to betray this public trust? Canadians deserve answers." Cummins asked a question in Parliament on the exclusive arrangement given Mohammed Al Zaidak for the distribution of electronic marine charts under Crown copyright. The question is listed on the House of Commons Order Paper as Question 80 (Q-80). It will remain on the Order Paper until answered in the House of Commons by the Minister of Fisheries... (more)
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March 26, 2004 |
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Delta Hospital |
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OTTAWA—John Cummins, M.P. (Delta-South Richmond) challenged the Prime Minister in Question Period to fully reinstate the money which he, as Finance Minister, had cut from funding for hospitals so that the Delta hospital could again offer acute care beds:... (more)
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100 kB |
February 10, 2004 |
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