Cummins Denied A Copy Of The Melvin Report - May 26, 2005

Fisheries and Oceans has refused to release the Melvin Report under Access to Information Act stating that "it cannot be released." (more)

The Fisheries Committee demanded a copy of the Melvin Report and has received a copy for consideration.

The Report was initially refused to the Williams inquiry but released to Mr. Justice Williams after he had submitted his report. The Deputy Minister of Fisheries later requested that Mr. Williams not distribute the report to the members of his committee and he return the report to the department.

The report of the Williams Committee made the following statement with regard to the Department's refusal to provide them a copy of the Melvin Report:

"We are also disappointed that although requested and promised on numerous occasions, an important report by Mr. Robert Melvin on illegal activities in the 2003 year has not been supplied to us. Mr. Melvin testified before the Committee in Kamloops and gave some very important evidence about the magnitude of First Nations FACT salmon, and illegally harvested fish entering the commercial marketplace. He told us of a report to DFO which included a description of the methods being used to hide and launder substantial numbers of fish.

At the request of the Committee, the Chair asked DFO on several occasions to provide a copy. Although originally promised, it was not provided. While this final report was being drafted, the Chair again asked for the report. DFO then said that it contained private and confidential information and, notwithstanding agreement by the Chair that information of a private nature could be deleted, continued to withhold the document. The committee finds this very troubling because the information in the report would seem to go to the core of enforcement policy and practices with respect to one aspect of Fraser sockeye fisheries. The fact that DFO wishes to withhold this evidence from the Committee seems representative of the enforcement policies which have in part contributed to the disappearance of a substantial number of Fraser sockeye."

Access to Information Documents are available here: (more)

________________________________________________________________________________

NEWS RELEASE - APRIL 19, 2005

COMMITTEE AGREES TO REQUEST THE MELVIN REPORT

OTTAWA—On April 14, 2005 the Fisheries Committee agreed to a demand from John Cummins, M.P. (Delta-Richmond East) that the Committee request a copy of the Melvin Report from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

Later that day the Deputy Minister of Fisheries requested that Bryan Williams, chair of the inquiry into the missing Fraser River sockeye, return the Melvin Report to the Department. Williams then advised the members of his Committee that they would not be receiving a copy of the report due to the demand from the Deputy Minister that the Melvin Report be returned to Department...(more)