Put Canada’s Fisheries First – For a Change
Conservatives will defend Canada’s fishing industry and protect Canadian jobs by doubling funding for the Small Craft Harbours program and providing Harbour authorities better access to financing.
Petty Harbour, NL — Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre announced today that he will double funding for the Small Craft Harbours program and grant Harbour Authorities better access to federal commercial financing.
The Small Craft Harbours program supports 950 wharves across Canada, making it the backbone of our fishing industry. But under the Lost Liberal Decade, there has been no increase in permanent funding for years. Conservatives will end this neglect, ensuring fishing communities have the investment they need to build modern infrastructure and bring home powerful paycheques.
Liberal governments have chronically neglected and underfunded the Small Craft Harbour program, hurting operations and holding back maintenance. A new Conservative government will put fishing communities first—for a change. We will build the infrastructure and bring home the jobs that fishing communities deserve.
During the Lost Liberal Decade, the government has failed to work with harvesters and establish long-term relationships, with a revolving door of seven different Fisheries Ministers. Under the Liberals, the Department was hijacked to serve ideological Liberal pet projects instead of the needs of coastal communities.
Liberal MPs will fly to Newfoundland and say one thing to inshore harvesters, then return to Ottawa, and say the opposite thing to appease the radical Liberal eco-zealots in their party who want to shut down the industry. Then, on the verge of an election, they spend almost 90 percent of Small Craft Harbour project funding in Liberal ridings to cynically buy your votes.
Canadian harvesters cannot afford a fourth Liberal term of the same Liberal MPs, the same Liberal ministers, the same Liberal advisors, and the same broken Liberal promises. A new Conservative government will listen to those who know our waters best, instead of pushing a radical, Ottawa-knows-best agenda upon Canadian harvesters. Only a new government will give a voice to Canada’s coastal communities and deliver fairness for our workers. Conservatives will bring home the support fishing communities need to earn powerful paycheques, take back control of their lives, and restore Canada’s promise.