In the lead-up to next year’s federal election, a leader of the Island’s only certified fisheries organization says he doesn’t expect to see any less attention from federal ministers.
A day after a cabinet shuffle in Ottawa moved New Brunswick MP Dominic LeBlanc out of the Fisheries portfolio, Ian MacPherson, executive director of the P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association (PEIFA), said he believed the organization would have no trouble gaining access to the new federal minister. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau named B.C. MP Jonathan Wilkinson as the new minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Coast Guard, taking the unusual step of naming an MP to the portfolio who is not based in Atlantic Canada.
“We're not that far from Ottawa. It certainly won't be like having somebody on P.E.I. or New Brunswick, but that being said it's all about access and communication," MacPherson said.
"I think a lot of times, sometimes prior to an election, maybe access might be improved."
MacPherson estimated the PEIFA has direct meetings with the federal Fisheries minister two or three times per year, in addition to contact during larger industry gatherings. He did not expect to see fewer meetings with Wilkinson in the coming year.
"In the meetings I've been in, minister Wilkinson seems to be very engaged, asks excellent questions. I think he's going to do a good job. Our focus will be to meet face to face and kind of go over what we're working on these days," he said.
LeBlanc, an 18-year veteran MP, will move on to be the new Minister of Inter-Governmental and Northern Affairs and Internal Trade, a post previously held by Trudeau himself.
Wilkinson will be the first B.C. MP to occupy the Fisheries post since 2002, when Herb Dhaliwal held the position. Wilkinson previously served as the parliamentary secretary to Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna, playing a lead role in Bill C-68, an update to the Fisheries Act.
Maritime Fishermen’s Union issued a news release Wednesday welcoming Wilkinson to the position. The statement praised Wilkinson’s role in entrenching owner-operator policies into the updated act. The policies provide protection for small, independent holders of fishing licenses in the inshore fishery.
MacPherson said he hoped the first meeting between the PEIFA and Wilkinson would continue to focus on the fleet separation of owner-operators, as well as federal conservation efforts of right whales.
“Some of these issues have been galvanizing for the industry to work more together. So, there's always an upside to these challenges," MacPherson said.
