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Petition
Presented March 30, 2009
Long Island Causeway
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MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave.
MR. BUTLER: Thank
you very much, Mr. Speaker.
I want to present a
petition today on behalf of the residents of Long Island
and the vicinity. This is my first petition; I will read
it into the record:
WHEREAS
on August 5, 2003, the Department of Transportation
announced that they would build the Long Island
Causeway; and
WHEREAS
on January 15, 2004, government announced that the Long
Island Causeway was deferred until the Province was in a
better financial position; and
WHEREAS
Long Island has received a ferry service from government
for the past twenty-five years and has been very good
until the ferry M.V. Island Joiner had exhausted
its lifespan and now requires a replacement ferry or a
fixed link; and
WHEREAS
the causeway is more feasible for the Province than it
is to provide the ferry service already in place;
WHEREFORE
we the undersigned petition the House of Assembly and
urge government to immediately undertake measures to
construct a fixed link between Long Island to Pilley’s
Island and Green Bay; and
As in duty bound your
petitioners will ever pray.
Mr. Speaker, it is a
pleasure today to be able to stand on behalf of those
residents, not only of Long Island but neighbouring
communities in the area who support their cause.
As I mentioned today, I
know I asked questions to the minister - I think it was
in our last session – and he stated very clearly that
as far as they were concerned there would be no changes
when it came to the possibility of considering the
causeway to the island.
Now, Mr. Speaker, we have
questions today because we are hearing from the
residents in that area, who have concerns about the
service they are receiving. They have major concerns,
like was noted in the questions: about emergencies
taking place overnight when they do not have a ferry
service; the concerns about the product from the fish
plant being shipped across; as well as children who have
to travel back and forth each day to school. They are
also asking now that government would consider the
docking facilities at Halls Bay Head - it being a
shorter route, with fewer problems with ice conditions
when that time of the year is here.
Mr. Speaker, we are
presenting those petitions - one today, and I am sure
there will be many others - on behalf of those people.
Maybe government will find it in their hearts to look at
the possibility of this causeway. I ask all hon. members
from that particular area, who represent those
constituents, during our Budget debate that they stand
in their places and support those individuals who have
major concerns here, Mr. Speaker.
Like I said, those people
have major problems with the service they have, and they
believe the most feasible way to serve their island and
be less costly to governments over the years is a
causeway. So I am presenting this petition today, Mr.
Speaker, on behalf of those residents, asking government
to reconsider and go forward with plans for a causeway
to Long Island.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. |
