MR. SPEAKER: Further petitions?

The hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave.

MR. BUTLER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I stand today with another petition on behalf of residents who have concerns with regard to what is known as gravel pit camping. Mr. Speaker, the residents who signed this petition are from Long Pond, Foxtrap, CBS, Green Island, Flower’s Cove and Corner Brook, so it is a provincial issue, Mr. Speaker. All those people are asking for is that government’s heavy-handed approach be re-evaluated, and they would like for someone to sit down with them and discuss this issue. It can be done, Mr. Speaker, because it already has been done. I mentioned it before, with regard to the Wolf Pond, Fox Marsh area, where an issue had been ongoing for some time; however, the campers and the cabin owners came together, they had meetings for about two, two-and-a-half years with officials, but finally that problem was resolved.

I am not standing here today saying some of the concerns that government had with regard to the environmental issues that were ongoing, but that can be addressed as well. What happened in the Fox Marsh area was addressed.

It was only this past weekend I spoke to a gentleman in Bay Roberts who said he is in a particular area – there for thirty-five years. His children grew up and enjoyed the summers there, and now his grandchildren are there. He said, there is not one thing environmentally friendly. The inspectors came by and more or less told him, look, you just have to get out.

There is more to it than just putting stickers and nailing signs on people’s cabins and saying move out. It is best to sit down and consult with them. My suggestion to those people is that maybe they can put an association together in different areas of the Province, and ask government to sit down and consult with them the way the group that I referenced earlier did, because that issue came to a successful conclusion - and there are probably other areas in the Province.

So, Mr. Speaker, on behalf of those people, I am just calling upon government that they will reconsider what they are doing to those people who enjoy the great outdoors in our Province, and have been doing it for many, many years. I am just calling upon government and the department to reconsider what they are doing, and sit down and discuss the issue with those people.