Transfer of Great Lakes Fishery Commission Duties

Summary#

This is the Order Transferring from the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans to the Minister of Foreign Affairs the Powers, Duties and Functions in Relation to the Great Lakes Fishery Commission: SI/2024-52, registered in the Canada Gazette, Part II on November 6, 2024. It moves responsibility for Canada’s dealings with the Great Lakes Fishery Commission from the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

What it does#

• Transfers the powers, duties and functions that the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans held in relation to the Great Lakes Fishery Commission to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
• The change was made under the Public Service Rearrangement and Transfer of Duties Act and recorded by Order in Council P.C. 2024-1114 on October 18, 2024.
• The notice also cites the Government Organization Act, 1979 and the Great Lakes Fisheries Convention Act as the legal context for who previously had responsibility.

Who's affected#

• The main parties named are the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission.
• Federal officials and staff who manage Canada’s participation in the Commission will be the most directly affected.
• It is unclear from the notice whether this will change day-to-day programs, services, funding, or who stakeholders (for example, provincial authorities or fishery industry groups) should contact for operational matters.

Why it matters#

• The order shifts which federal minister and department lead Canada’s involvement with the Great Lakes Fishery Commission. That can change where decisions are made and who represents Canada in international or binational discussions about Great Lakes fisheries.
• For people or groups who interact with the Commission, this may mean a different point of contact within the federal government. The notice does not say whether service or program delivery will change.