As Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shuffled his cabinet yesterday, Diane Lebouthillier was announced as the new Minister for Fisheries and Oceans, replacing Joyce Murray.
FFAW-Unifor President Greg Pretty says he is looking forward to working with the new minister, and thanked Joyce Murray for the time spent in the portfolio. “I want to thank Minister Joyce Murray for the time spent in the portfolio and her directness with me during the months we worked together,” says FFAW-Unifor President Greg Pretty. “I am very much looking forward to meeting with Minister Lebouthillier in the coming days and our members hope that, going forward, DFO White Hills will have an ‘open for business’ approach to better collaborate with fish harvesters,” Pretty says.
“It’s clear there is a disconnect between fish harvesters and DFO in Ottawa. My goal is to work with Minister Lebouthillier to bridge that gap and ensure harvesters’ voices are not only heard, but respected, by the federal decision makers who control their livelihood,” concludes Pretty.