MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave.

MR. BUTLER: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

I stand today with another petition on behalf of some 2,000 people throughout this Province with regard to what we know as gravel pit camping.

Mr. Speaker, I am not going to read into the record again the full prayer of the petition, but what those people are asking for is that government consult with them to work out a long-term solution to problems with the practices that government finds acceptable.

Mr. Speaker, I referenced a case in time yesterday with regard to Wolf Pond in the Fox Marsh area. That is a prime example of what all those people are asking for. I did not realize it, but I called the lady whom I attended many meetings with over a period of two-and-a-half to three years. From the time they were notified that they had to move from that site - there were people who were raised there with their own parents, and now their children grew up there and grandchildren. They were there for some forty-five to fifty years. All around a lovely little pond, and they were told that they were in a forest management area. There was nobody in the forest. There was nobody even in a brush on the side of the pond. Anyway, they had to move. They wanted some action taken to come to a successful conclusion so that they could still camp the way they did for most of their lives.

What happened, Mr. Speaker, for some two-and-a-half to three years? We met with officials within the department, and there were some very rough meetings, let me assure you. At the end of the day, and I think, to be honest with you, I think we went through two ministers while we were bringing forth their case. Today I spoke with the lady who is in charge, just before lunch, and she tells me that the site that was put there, with the approval of government – now do not get me wrong, government just did not do it out of the goodness of their heart. They have to pay a certain amount of money each year for five years for the little road that they put in, and they have to pay a fee of $185 a year. There are some sixty people there. They have three little subdivisions in this site that was created for them. They are on the same pond they were asked to get away from, but just a little distance away from it. Those people are very pleased that they are there.

All we are asking for in those petitions - the petition that I present today is from people from St. John’s, CBS, Foxtrap, Plum Point, all over this Island who are asking for the same thing, that officials sit down with them and talk this through, and hopefully they can come to a conclusion where those people will be able to continue on with a tradition that they have had for many years, a standard of recreation. Many of them do complain about maybe the odd person who will come into a site where they are, who is not keeping that site environmentally friendly. They do not want that either, Mr. Speaker, but I do not think you should throw everybody out for the sake of one or two. Clean up the mess that is there, sit down with those people and consult with them so that a solution can be found, similar to what was found in Wolf Pond in the Fox Marsh area.

Anyone can go there, the media can go there, and see this wonderful site. The government even went in and put a few outdoor toilets in there for them. They are putting more in because they raised their money. They are looking after that site. All we are asking, Mr. Speaker, through those petitions, is that government will do the same for those throughout the Province.