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Response to Parliamentary Committees and External Audits

Presented below are summaries of the Department's responses to the reports of Parliamentary Committees, recommendations made by the Auditor General and external audits that pertain to the Department's work.

 

Responses to Reports of Parliamentary Committees, 2007-2008


Report Link to Report and Government Response
The Government Response to the Fourth Report of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans on Ensuring a Sustainable and Humane Seal Harvest

For over 30 years, Canada's commercial seal harvest in the Northwest Atlantic has been the target of campaigns to end the harvest of these marine mammals. In the 1970s and the 1980s, these campaigns resulted in the collapse of the international sealskin market. When Canada resumed the harvest with increasing quotas and catches in the mid-1990s, the anti-seal harvest campaigners stepped up their efforts to end the commercial harvest, and Canadian sealers and First Nations are now facing the very real possibility of a complete ban on the importation and use of seal products in Europe. Campaigns in recent years have been characterized by misinformation and appeals to emotions through the use of inflammatory images and language.

During its study, the Committee focused its attention on four aspects of the seal harvest: sustainability; humaneness; economic, social and cultural importance; and its role in achieving and maintaining an ecological balance within the marine ecosystem.
Report:

http://cmte.parl.gc.ca/cmte/​CommitteePublication.aspx?COM=10480&Lang=1&SourceId=206172

Government Response:

http://cmte.parl.gc.ca/Content/HOC/​committee/391/fopo/govresponse/rp3067100/391_fopo_rpt04_gr-e.html#Preamble

Sixth Report of the Senate Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans: The Management of Atlantic Fish Stocks: Beyond the 200-Mile Limit

The Committee began a study into fisheries beyond the 200-mile limit in October of 2006. The Committee's study culminated with the tabling of this report on February 20, 2007. The report delves into a number of different areas, including the issue of bottom trawling in unregulated areas of the high seas, the possibility of prohibiting bottom trawling by foreign fishing fleets on Canada's continental shelf, the regulations and penalties applicable to Canadian fishermen vis-à-vis foreign fishing fleets on Canada's continental shelf, various provisions in the proposed amendments to the NAFO Convention text, and the level of Canada's surveillance and enforcement activity in the NAFO Regulatory Area (NRA). The Government Response was tabled in the Senate on June 22, 2007.

Report:

http://www.parl.gc.ca/39/1/parlbus/commbus/senate/Com-e/fish-e/rep-e/rep06feb07-e.htm

Government Response:

http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/reports-rapports/200mile_2007/200mile_2007-eng.htm


 

Responses to Recommendations Made by the Auditor General, 2007-2008


Recommendation Link to Chapter and Response
May 2007 — Chapter 1 — Use of Acqusition and Travel Cards

Recommendation — Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Health Canada, and National Defence should formalize training for regional and departmental coordinators and quality assurance personnel to ensure that information about all issues related to acquisition and travel card management within a department is understood by those personnel, and that the information is disseminated to program managers.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada's response — Fisheries and Oceans Canada agrees. Over the next 12 months, the Department will implement a training program for card coordinators and quality assurance personnel, and will improve the departmental coordination of card management and of the quality assurance function. In addition, the Department will take the necessary steps to inform card coordinators of the availability on the website of training material and tools accessible to them.
http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/parl_oag_200705_01_e_17476.html
October 2007 — Chapter 3 — Inuvialuit Final Agreement

Recommendation — In consultation with the Treasury Board Secretariat, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Public Works and Government Services Canada, the Parks Canada Agency, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and Environment Canada should develop and/or enhance systems and procedures to enable them to monitor their compliance with the Inuvialuit Final Agreement's contracting provisions. To ensure compliance, these systems and procedures should monitor each federal organization's activities for

  • notifying the Inuvialuit of contracts related to activities within the Region;
  • awarding the Inuvialuit all contracts that are subject to public tender and related to activities within the Region, when the Inuvialuit submit the best bid;
  • awarding the Inuvialuit a reasonable share of contracts that are not subject to public tender, that are related to activities within the Region, and for which the Inuvialuit are capable of supplying the required goods and services on a reasonable basis; and
  • providing the Inuvialuit with contracts that relate to activities within the Region's national parks and landmark, on a preferred basis.
Response — Agreed. Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, in consultation with Treasury Board Secretariat and Public Works and Government Services Canada, will provide guidance to departments on the appropriate level of monitoring required to ensure compliance with this Agreement's and similar agreements' contracting provisions, as reflected in Treasury Board policy requirements.

It is important to note that an interdepartmental working group has been established by Treasury Board Secretariat for the development of an amendment to the Treasury Board Contracting Policy, which will update the process for government procurement in the context of comprehensive land claims agreements. The amendment will clarify departmental responsibilities for monitoring and reporting requirements of Crown procurements undertaken in regions covered by comprehensive land claims agreements, including the Inuvialuit Final Agreement.

It should be noted that departments do have systems to monitor compliance with the specific provisions of their contracts and that they recognize the need to monitor contract obligations relating to the agreements. To this end, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Public Works and Government Services Canada, the Parks Canada Agency, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and Environment Canada will take measures to develop or strengthen, where necessary, systems and procedures to meet any new monitoring and reporting requirements that may be established by the Treasury Board within a year of their introduction.

In addition, the five audited departments will give full consideration to this recommendation as they review and, where necessary, enhance current systems and procedures to monitor the awarding of contracts to the Inuvialuit that are not subject to public tender, when they are capable of supplying the goods and services on a reasonable basis. Work on processes governing federal procurement to include provisions for contracting in national parks is already under way, and will be developed to capture the same information for other comprehensive land claims agreements.

This recommendation will be acted on by March 2009.
http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/parl_oag_200710_03_e_23827.html
October 2007 — Chapter 1 — Sustainable Development Strategies

No recommendations for DFO.

http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/parl_cesd_200710_01_e_23837.html
March 2008 Status Report — Chapter 3 — Federal Contaminated Sites

No recommendations for DFO.

http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/parl_cesd_200803_03_e_30129.html
March 2008 Status Report — Chapter 5 — Ecosystems — Protection of Species at Risk

No recommendations for DFO.

http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/parl_cesd_200803_05_e_30131.html
March 2008 Status Report — Chapter 6 — Ecosystems — Control of Aquatic Invasive Species

Recommendation — Fisheries and Oceans Canada should apply a systematic risk-based approach to early detection and develop the ability to respond rapidly when new invasive species are detected in order to prevent them from becoming established or to control them.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada's response — Agreed. Fisheries and Oceans Canada acknowledges the need for a systematic, risk-based approach to early detection and rapid response and therefore accepts this recommendation.

Risk assessment is the foundation of a risk-based approach to any management program and aquatic invasive species are no exception. Since Budget 2005, when the Department received an annual budget of $2 million, the Department has put in place the building blocks to establish a systematic risk-based approach and has been working with Canadians to mitigate the impacts of aquatic invasive species.

One of the critical building blocks has been the creation of the Centre of Expertise for Aquatic Risk Assessment (CEARA). CEARA assesses the risk of existing and potential aquatic invasive species and their introduction pathways to guide other program activities.

With regard to a rapid response capacity, the Department alerts stakeholders and other jurisdictions in a timely fashion when a new nonindigenous species is discovered. The Department provides them with advice on appropriate response measures when required.

In response to this recommendation and to the extent permitted by current budgets, the Department will build upon its existing risk assessment, scientific research, and monitoring activities to implement a formalized risk-based approach to early detection of and rapid response to aquatic invasive species in partnership with other jurisdictions and stakeholders.
http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/parl_cesd_200803_06_e_30132.html
March 2008 Status Report — Chapter 8 — Management Tools and Government Commitments — International Environmental Agreements

Recommendation — As lead departments responsible for international environmental agreements, Environment Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Transport Canada, and Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada should provide Parliament and Canadians with complete, understandable, and current information on objectives, means, expected results, and results.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada's response — Fisheries and Oceans Canada agrees with the recommendation as it relates to the active and key international agreements in which the Department is already involved. Internationally, the Department supports activities designed to lead to more responsible management of high seas fisheries and the sustainability of high seas ecosystems by seeking improvements to international governance. It is in this spirit that Fisheries and Oceans Canada participates in the Regional Fisheries Management Organizations.

On its websites, the Department will present up-to-date information with regards to the plans and measures taken by these organizations on environmental issues, and will define the roles of Canada with regard to them. The Department will also reflect the above information in a consistent fashion in its departmental reports to Parliament and to Canadians, such as the Report on Plans and Priorities, the Business Plan, the Departmental Performance Report, and relevant integrated fisheries management plans. These documents will be updated starting in the next fiscal year, while the websites will be updated in an ongoing manner and as a result of revisions to the above-mentioned documents.

http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/parl_cesd_200803_08_e_30134.html
March 2008 Status Report — Chapter 9 — Management Tools and Government Commitments — Strategic Environmental Assessment

No recommendations for DFO.

http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/parl_cesd_200803_09_e_30135.html
March 2008 Status Report — Chapter 14 — Previous Audits of Responses to Environmental Petitions — Genetically Engineered Fish

Recommendation — Given its commitments and the history of this file, Fisheries and Oceans Canada should decide on a regulatory approach for genetically engineered fish and clearly communicate the rationale and timeline for implementation of this approach.

Response — Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) accepts the recommendation. DFO has decided that its regulatory approach for genetically engineered fish is to continue to work under the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Environment Canada and Health Canada to contribute to the regulation of aquatic organism products of biotechnology, including genetically engineered fish, under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA, 1999) and the New Substances Notification Regulations (Organisms) [NSNR(O)].

The recommendation also suggests that Fisheries and Oceans Canada clearly communicate the rationale and timeline for implementation of this approach. The rationale for implementation of this approach is based on the fact that CEPA, 1999 provides a regulatory framework for animate products of biotechnology that is in place and is effective, and the NSNR(O) are currently already undergoing regulatory review. DFO's responsibilities under the MOU include undertaking risk assessments and assisting Environment Canada and Health Canada with administration of the Regulations. As DFO is already implementing this approach, no further timeline is required.

http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/parl_cesd_200803_14_e_30140.html

 

External Audits, 2007-2008


Name of External Audit Link to Report
Not applicable; DFO was not subject to any external audits in 2007-2008.