OTTAWA, July 3, 1998--"David Anderson would have us believe that since the Americans could have taken all of our fish we should be grateful that he has only given them 25% of the Fraser River sockeye," said John Cummins, M.P. (Delta-South Richmond).

David Anderson's agreement must be judged by whether it is a good deal for Canada -- whether it preserves the hard won principles of the Salmon Treaty, equity and conservation, not whether the Americans would have taken everything.

Yves Fortier, Canada's last salmon negotiator, set out in his letter of resignation on January 30, 1998 the basis on which we must judge any agreement with the Americans:

"At the outset of my mandate, it was (and remains) Canada's position that, due to excessive interceptions of Canadian-origin salmon in U.S. fisheries, Canada was being deprived of the benefits of its salmon productions. To correct this imbalance, both accrued and current, meaningful reductions in U.S. interception levels were required consistent with the Treaty and accompanying M.O.U. which stipulate a "national responsibility" to eliminate such an "inequity"..."

"I am prepared that no long-term agreement will be possible...unless Canada is prepared to make sacrifices that far exceed those which are in the interests of Canadian stakeholders and which I was authorized by the government of Canada to make in order to conclude an agreement..."

"In the end it is the nature and scope of the compromise which Canada is ready to accept that will be the determining factor in the outcome of future negotiations with the U.S."

Canada has, since 1994, failed to make negotiations under the Pacific Salmon Treaty a priority in our relations with the United States. Canada failed to live up to its "national responsibility" to reduce American interceptions.

In desperation and as a sign of this failure David Anderson has given 25 per cent of the sockeye returns on the Fraser this year to the State of Washington compared to 12 per cent on the last cycle year in 1994. (source: Pacific Salmon Commission Fraser R. Panel)