Thursday, May 11, 2023

The Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans has the honour to present its

SIXTH REPORT

Your committee, which was authorized by the Senate on Tuesday, October 4, 2022, to examine and report on Canada’s seal populations and their effect on Canada’s fisheries, respectfully requests funds for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024, and requests, for the purpose of such study, that it be empowered:

(a)to engage the services of such counsel, technical, clerical and other personnel as may be necessary;

(b)to adjourn from place to place within Canada; and

(c)to travel inside Canada.

Pursuant to Chapter 3:05, section 2(1)(c) of the Senate Administrative Rules, the budget submitted to the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration and the report thereon of that committee are appended to this report.

Respectfully submitted,

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STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES AND OCEANS

Examine and report on Canada’s seal populations and their effect on Canada’s fisheries

APPLICATION FOR BUDGET AUTHORIZATION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING MARCH 31, 2024

Extract from the Journals of the Senate of Tuesday, October 4, 2022:

With leave of the Senate,

The Honourable Senator Manning moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Batters:

That the Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans be authorized to examine and report on Canada’s seal populations and their effect on Canada’s fisheries, including but not limited to:

(a) how Canada’s seal populations have been managed by the federal government thus far;

(b) the identification of the most appropriate and effective ways of managing seal populations going forward;

(c) how Canada determines research priorities and funding allocations for research related to seals, and any research and/or funding gaps; and

That the committee submit its final report to the Senate no later than December 31, 2023, and that the committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings for 180 days after the tabling of the final report.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

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SUMMARY OF BUDGET

The above budget was approved by the Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans on Thursday, April 27, 2023.

The undersigned or an alternate will be in attendance on the date that this budget is considered.

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APPENDIX (B) TO THE REPORT

Thursday, May 11, 2023

The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has examined the budget presented to it by the Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans for the proposed expenditures of the said committee for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024, for the purpose of its special study on Canada’s seal populations and their effect on Canada’s fisheries, as authorized by the Senate on Tuesday, October 4, 2022. The approved budget is as follows:

(includes funds for a fact-finding mission and public hearings and for 8 senators and 2 senators’ staff to travel, provided the committee travels during a non-sitting week)

The budgets approved by the Senate for each travel activity are the maximum amount that can be spent for that activity. Budgets normally include funds for the full membership of the committee to travel. In general, a reduced delegation actually travels and efforts are made to find additional savings. Therefore, actual expenditures are expected to be considerably below the approved budget, and they will be proactively disclosed. Any funds remaining at the conclusion of a travel activity will be clawed-back and can be made available for allocation to committees for other activities.

Respectfully submitted,