MR. SPEAKER: Further petitions?

The hon. the Opposition House Leader.

MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The petition of the undersigned residents humbly sheweth:

WHEREAS the people of La Poile must use the provincial ferry service in order to travel to and from La Poile; and

WHEREAS the people of La Poile and visitors are required to wait at the Town of Rose Blanche-Harbour Le Cou from time to time for the ferry services; and

WHEREAS there is no restroom, waiting room area in the Town of Rose Blanche-Harbour Le Cou where users of the ferry service may utilize washroom facilities; and

WHEREAS citizens of all ages including men, women, children, seniors and disabled persons require washroom facilities as a basic human need in the course of their travels and particularly while awaiting the transit systems; and

WHEREAS it is an abuse of human dignity as well as health and safety regulations to allow such degrading and dehumanizing circumstances to continue;

WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the House of Assembly to urge government to immediately construct and operate a waiting room, restroom facility at the Town of Rose Blanche-Harbour Le Cou such that all users of the provincial ferry service which operates out of La Poile may be able to utilize such waiting room, washroom facilities.

As in duty bound your petitioners will ever pray.

Mr. Speaker, this is the fourth such petition I have presented in this House on behalf of the residents of La Poile and I hope it is not falling on deaf ears to the minister. There are few basic things that you need in life, I guess, and you certainly need them. If you are a traveller, you need access to washroom facilities. This has to be the only circumstance that I can think of in this Province where people use a provincial transit system on a regular basis, every single day of the week, month and year, and they have to wait on the wharf for the ferry and there is absolutely nowhere to use the washroom. It is just unacceptable.

This calls for a washroom, restroom. I am sure if the minister cannot see it in his way to come up with the funding for the restroom or whatever, surely God there ought to be in this day and age, and in this Budget that we have in Transportation, to provide a washroom facility. I do not mean the porta-potties that the Member for Lake Melville put forward for the people of Ramea when he did it. That was absolutely insulting, disgraceful and we would not expect that from the current Minister of Transportation and Works.

Mr. Speaker, this is not a frivolous petition. This is something that deals with human dignity and respect. We charge these people to use the provincial ferry service. I see absolutely nothing wrong with expecting the basic minimum of service, such as a washroom.