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

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

I am proud today to stand and present a petition on behalf of the residents of Deer Lake, Corner Brook, Springdale, Norris Point, Hampton, Grand Falls, Stephenville and Stephenville Crossing, Port au Port, Kippens and St. George’s. I will read the prayer of the petition, Mr. Speaker.

MS JONES: Where is the member? What happened to their member?

MR. BUTLER: There are a lot of members, I would say, (inaudible).

WHEREAS we, the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, have always built cabins and tilts away from our houses for hunting, fishing, berry picking, or just spending time up in the country or places around our shores, sometimes just away from the stress of everyday living, a place to relax and enjoy the great outdoors; and

WHEREAS your government has come down hard on the thousands of cabin and trailer owners that are out on our land, with eviction notices and forcing them to move without providing them with alternatives; and

WHEREAS Kruger Inc. has timber rights to approximately one-third of all forest land on this Island and is refusing the vast majority of applications for cabin development;

WHEREUPON your petitioners call upon all Members of the House of Assembly to urge government to have compassion on the citizens of this fair Province and allow them the right to enjoy what is rightfully ours. We were born on this land and should have the right to enjoy it.

Mr. Speaker, we had a statement today from the minister, on Earth Day, and what better time to recognize the concerns of the people of this Province. They are not only in my district; they are right throughout this Province. I have 1,900 names on petitions that I will be presenting on their behalf.

There is no one saying – I know I heard the comment across the floor, when I was reading the petition: the Whiskey Pit. Nobody wants to see some of the issues that were involved in the Whiskey Pit, but I have to say, I spoke with the minister yesterday and she is dealing with the people from the Whiskey Pit and they are trying to come up with an alternative so those people can be looked after. That is all the residents anywhere in this Province are dealing with.

I remember back some time ago, up in the Wolf Pond area, where a deal was struck; and I know people in the government now are saying that should never have happened, but it happened. It happened under this government’s watch, and I believe it was the right thing to do, to provide a place for those people to go out and enjoy the countryside. They have been there on those lands for forty years - and I know they are probably Crown lands. If there are environmental issues, I do not condone that. If there are environmental issues, that should be taken into consideration, Mr. Speaker.

Those people right throughout the Province have major concerns. There are some 5,000 or 6,000 of them, and all they are asking government is to consult with them. Do not just come and put a poster up on our cabin or on our trailer and say you are going to destroy it or burn it. Sit down with us and see if we can come to a conclusion that we can enjoy the great outdoors like we always did.