The Minister's own words...

Please look at the quote in red! Huh?


VOCM open-line with Randy Simms had an interview with the ivory billed duck (Loyola Hearn) - believed to be extinct by most armchair philosophers - this morning and what an interview it was!

For the record the Minister's own words...I will highlight interesting comments...

Randy:

There seems to be within the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador based on the few responses we’ve had on the open air waves about it – a certain feeling about it, that this doesn’t really have any teeth – this is really not making any kind of a difference this is diverting us away from things like custodial management. How do you respond to that?

Loyola:

I think what we should ask there Randy is who is saying that you know we have a bunch of armchair philosophers naysayers members of the opposition who wont’ agree with whatever you do what I suggest is you talk to people in the industry you talk to the union who was there Mr. McCurdy was at these meetings you talk to the provincial government I met with premier Williams before the NAFO meeting clearly outlined to him what we were hoping to achieve himself and the deputy minister of fisheries ah Minister Rideout wasn’t there ..I had a letter from Minister Rideout after that meeting basically outlining what the provincial government would like to see just formally because it was exactly what we had said we were looking for..ah they were there at the meeting and very supportive.. ah our people industry the provincial government the members who were there along with our own team stood together collectively ah not to give anything but to get a lot we have completely and utterly reformed NAFO we have given NAFO the teeth that we said we could do …ah as all of these agreements are put in legislative framework and everything is copper fastened we will see over the next few weeks and months that the NAFO of last year compared to the NAFO of this year are two entirely different organizations…

Randy:

Does this mean minister that the concept and commitment to a custodial management model is off the table?

Loyola:

Not at all not in any sense of the word and of course if you ask 15 people what is their version is of custodial management you’ll probably get 15 different answers …ah our definition of that is reaching the point where we would have a management regime outside of the 200 mile limit similar to what we have inside so that the people who are fishing there on the continental shelf on the nose and tail of the Flemish cap will be subject to the same rules and regulations punishment that anybody inside would be..

During the week I heard quotes from a number of people directly involved in this saying we just wish we had the tight security and the enforcement and the ability to punish inside right now that we have outside. So basically what I’m saying is when we started all of this six years ago when we raised the issue – and I get a kick out of this sometimes Randy and you more than anybody would understand this ah people when I hear some of them talking you know the armchair philosophers who haven’t got a clue what is going on and their talking about oh you know Hearn knows nothing about this that or the other thing maybe they should ask who started it all. When we started this we were talking about stopping over fishing on the nose the tail the Flemish cap to give our stocks a chance to grow. We’ve done a lot over the years pushing other governments to make decisions but at no time did NAFO or was NAFO given the teeth no time was the the NAFO convention – the rules regulations changed strengthened or enforced where TACs are set on scientific advice or it’s enforcement .

Randy:

But Minister it really does sound when I hear you speak that you feel that the progress that you have made now would make a concept like custodial management no longer necessary. It’s not an option that’s any further and you’re going to be in a little sticky wicket in a little while because we going to start we’re going to have to see some charges cause there’s wild abandon out there.

Loyola:

Yep. And you’re going to see that well two things number one I certainly am not saying we have what we would have with custodial management – we probably have however it’s like renting a house when you never know when somebody might decide to change the furniture change the paint or kick you out ah we have to secure what we have ah people who are tuned in are well aware that presently we have a Newfoundland company with a two point something million dollar contract mapping the seabed to give us a solid line which we don’t have on our continental shelf. Exactly how far can we go what are the limits we’re solidifying that.

Randy:

When will the legislative pieces particularly I thinking in terms of the other NAFO countries when will all of this as you termed it copper fastened to the point that ok the new regime the new NAFO is now in place and that will be effective what kind of a date.

Loyola:

We’re looking at the first of January and in the meantime usually when you make formal agreements like this you try in the interim to live by the new agreements rather than the old ones…

And on it went.

The only truth here is what the Minister promised. This is a copy of what Loyola promised during the last election. Board of Trade - Questions and Answers
Calling people names and mocking your critics simply points out that you are unable to answer the basic question. Why did you lie?