When I expressed these concerns to Senator Austin in this chamber the week before last week, the senator responded that this was a political decision and that he did not wish to discuss the extension of this policy. Indeed, if this is now the policy of this government, I fear that there may not be a future for Atlantic Canada's existing fishing communities. When asked whether the government had sought legal advice regarding this fish allocation, other than from the Justice Department, Minister Nault admitted that the government had not hired someone specifically outside of the Department of Justice. In fact, the only name provided was Senator Beaudoin, my esteemed colleague to my right. Senator Beaudoin informs me that he was not asked for, nor did he provide, legal or constitutional advice on this particular subject.
Parliament is here to keep a check over government decisions.
We should not squander our parliamentary oversight responsibility. We should not place blind trust in cabinet. The Prime Minister, as the situation is now, has too much power, along with his PMO staff. It is not in our interest to hand over our parliamentary responsibility to the Prime Minister. The cause may be right but the means to an end may not be worth the price.