Book 1, Tab A8 - First Three Months

On this page

• Purpose
• Cabinet business
• Budget 2025
• Fisheries decisions
• Key events and outreach
• Committee appearances
• Next steps

Purpose

To provide an overview of decisions and activities that will require your attention over the coming three months, including:

• Cabinet business
• Budget 2025
• Fisheries decisions
• Key events and outreach
• Committee appearances

Cabinet business

Context

As Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, you are a member of the following cabinet committees (Subject to change):

• Full Cabinet;
• Global Affairs and Public Security, Security and Emergencies; and
• Reconciliation.

You may also receive special invitations to participate in other committees to:

• Present cabinet products led by the Department; or
• Participate in discussions on items relevant to your portfolio.

Snapshot

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Next steps

• A dedicated briefing on priority departmental Cabinet business will be arranged with your office
• Updates on key Cabinet Business items, including those being tracked for departmental interest are provided to the Minister’s office on a weekly basis via the departmental planning binder

Budget 2025

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Context

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Snapshot

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Next steps

• A dedicated briefing on Budget 2025 will be arranged with your office.

Fisheries decisions

Context

• As Minister, you may be required to make several key fisheries management decisions in the early months of your tenure (e.g., access and allocations, management measures).
• Given the high volume of fisheries management decisions, many uncontroversial decisions are typically sub-delegated to regional authorities (i.e., Regional Directors General).
• Departmental legislation and legal requirements also require consideration of Aboriginal treaty rights and land claims obligations for decision-making concerning marine resources and habitats.
• Recommendations are made on the best available information and science, socio-economic considerations, and input received from stakeholders received during formal and informal discussions, i.e. fishery advisory committees.

Snapshot

Examples of these types of decisions include:

• Authorizing fishing for commercial, recreational, and Indigenous rights-based purposes (e.g., moderate livelihood, food, social, and ceremonial).
• Access and allocation decisions around Total Allowable Catch.
• Application of policies/regulations within the fishery such as Fisheries Act Fish Stock Provisions.
• Changes to fisheries management measures.
• Transfer of licences through willing buyer-willing seller mechanism.

Next steps

• You will receive information on key and upcoming decisions on a weekly basis.
• You can expect to receive focused briefings and decision memos for more substantive issues requiring your attention.

Committee appearances

Context

• The mandate of 2 Parliamentary Standing Committees are aligned with that of the Department:
• the House Fisheries and Oceans Committee (FOPO), and
• the Senate Fisheries and Oceans Committee (POFO).
• You are regularly invited to appear before FOPO to discuss topics related to DFO/CCG activities and explain funding items in the estimates.
• Other parliamentary committees occasionally study topics that touch on the Department’s mandate such as the environmental protection and marine safety; these committees are regularly monitored and may require appearances by either the Minister, and/or senior departmental officials

Snapshot

• Recent appearances have related to:
  • Supplementary Estimates (B) (FOPO);
  • Mandate and Priorities of the Department (FOPO); and,
  • Management of Canada's Fisheries and Oceans (POFO)
• Your predecessor also appeared at Senate Question Period in June 2024.
• Recent studies at FOPO have included:
  • Review of the Fisheries Act;
  • Derelict and abandoned vessels; and.
  • Reopening of the Cod fishery

Next steps

• The Department will provide weekly updates on committee business and potential appearances through the weekly planning binder

Next steps

• The Department will work with your office to develop a briefing plan in line with the key issues and decisions that require your attention
• You will also receive a weekly planning binder that will provide important details on a range of issues, including:
  • Cabinet committees, Parliamentary, and regulatory agenda;
  • Treasury Board agenda;
  • Communications look-ahead (provides list of upcoming events and announcements);
  • Key fisheries management decisions (ministerial and delegated departmental decisions);
  • Upcoming science publications;
  • Litigation horizon; and,
  • Ministerial correspondence.