MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today to once again table some petitions that were submitted on behalf of the people of the Province with regard to the number of accidents with moose on our highways, calling upon the government to take some action.

In fact, Mr. Speaker, I had more petitions of about 6,000 names delivered to my office again this morning with regard to this particular issue. It seems to be an issue that is growing in support right across the Province. In fact, there has been no end to the e-mails and the feedback that we have received at our office. Obviously, Mr. Speaker, any time that the public perceives that there is an issue of safety that is impacting upon the lives and people throughout the Province they would like to see some action on it. I think they are very sincerely asking the government to look into this situation, to take the advice and the direction that has been taken in other provinces in Canada, to look at what has worked in those provinces in terms of reducing the number of moose-vehicle accidents on our highway, and look at what can be implemented in Newfoundland and Labrador. They have provided a number of options and they have also provided substantial information to accompany those options that will tell you what has been effective in Alberta, or in New Brunswick, or in Nova Scotia, and what has not been effective in some of these provinces as well.

Mr. Speaker, I think that this is a plea that is being made on behalf of many individuals. In fact, over 700 individuals this year have had accidents with moose on our highways. Over 700 families are working themselves through, Mr. Speaker, serious illness and injury as a result of it, and through some financial crisis that often comes with extended health care bills and infrastructure damage.

Mr. Speaker, in addition to that, we have also had four fatalities on our highways since January with moose accidents. We have heard the stories of some of these people in the media, some of these people who talked about the loss of their loved ones as a result of motor vehicle accidents with moose, and how they strongly feel that more needs to be done to try and curb the number of accidents that occur, to try and make the highways safer for people that use them and travel on them.

Mr. Speaker, as I said this morning, yesterday I had petitions with about 20,000 signatures. I had another group of petitions delivered to my office today with another 6,000 signatures. Tomorrow we will have an opportunity to debate a private member’s motion that focuses on this particular issue. Of course, all of the work that we are bringing forward, as a part of that motion and through these petitions, have been done by a group within the Province. It is a group, an active group that was set up to lobby government just on this issue. I certainly want to recognize the work that they have done and the tremendous support and profile that they have given this particular issue.