Book 1, Tab B2 - First Three Months

On this page

• Purpose
• Cabinet business
• Budget 2024
• 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 2024
• Fisheries decisions
• Key events and outreach
• Committee appearances

Cabinet business

Context

• The Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Cabinet is a member of the following cabinet committees*:
  • Full Cabinet
  • Safety, Security and Emergencies
  • Reconciliation; and
  • Economy, Inclusion and Climate “B”
• The Department provides briefing material to support your participation at these committees
• A summer cabinet retreat will be hosted on August 21-23 in Charlottetown Prince Edward Island. 

*Subject to change

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 2024

Context

• Federal budgets have typically been tabled in Parliament in late February or March (timing varies) following a “call letter” to Ministers from the Minister of Finance occurring several months before
• [Information was severed in accordance with the Access to Information Act.]
• [Information was severed in accordance with the Access to Information Act.]

Snapshot

• Acknowledging the current fiscal context, a targeted set of key priorities will consider new spending, program renewal needs, and operational pressures
• Several off-cycle funding decisions will require your consideration over the short-term

Next steps

• Focused budget briefings will be arranged with your office, in late fall to discuss the overall approach and ensure sufficient time to refine the list of priorities and specific funding asks

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

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)
• Key decisions in the next three months include:
• Mandate for Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Annual Meeting
• Gulf of St. Lawrence Unit 1 Redfish
• Pacific Herring Coastwide Management
• Rebuilding Plans for several stocks currently in the critical zone.  Batch One contains 14 stocks which require rebuilding plans by April 3, 2024

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

Key events and outreach

Context

• The Department has regular interaction with a wide spectrum of stakeholders and partners, indigenous groups and provincial and territorial governments through many tables and fora, including international events and meetings
• While ministerial-level engagement will be important in some key areas/organizations, the department maintains senior-level interface and dialogue with many groups, particularly with regional fisheries organizations (industry representation)
• Generally, ministerial-level engagement occurs with national organizations of interest and priority international events, with provincial and territorial counterparts, and Indigenous partners and leaders

Snapshot

• Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission Annual Meeting, Victoria, August 7 to 11, 2023
• Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization Annual Meeting, Vigo, Spain, September 18 to 22, 2023
• National Indigenous Fisheries & Aquaculture Forum (NAFF IV) meeting Nanaimo, October 16, 2023
• Arctic Circle Assembly, Reykjavik, Iceland, October 19-21, 2023
• Rights Reconciliation Agreement Signing Ceremonies (Peskotomuhkati Nation at Skutik, and Mi'gmawe’l Tplu'taqnn Incorporated, New Brunswick fall 2023, TBC)

Next steps

• The Department will work with you and your office to ensure opportunities of strategic interest and priority are considered in your first 90 days

Committee appearances

Context

• You are regularly invited to appear before House of Commons and Senate Standing committees to discuss topics related to DFO/CCG activities
• The House Fisheries Committee (FOPO) and the Senate Fisheries Committee (POFO) are the primary focus of the department
• Other committees such as those touching on the Arctic, the environment, and those studying departmental science, operations; and transport issues are regularly monitored and may require appearances by either the Minister, and/or senior departmental officials

Snapshot

• Recent appearances at these committees  have focused on issues pertaining to:
  • Indigenous and moderate livelihood fisheries
  • West coast fisheries ownership issues
  • Departmental science and decision-making

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
  • Ministerial correspondence