MR. SPEAKER:
Further petitions?
The hon. the Opposition House
Leader.
MR. KELVIN PARSONS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise today to present my eighth
petition on behalf of the people of La Poile, and Rose
Blanche-Harbour Le Cou, which is in my District of
Burgeo & La Poile.
It is actually embarrassing to
have to bring this petition. I have done it eight times
because it definitely needs to be resolved, but every
time I read the prayer here, I get e-mails and calls
from people saying, you cannot be serious that this
situation exists. Well, Mr. Speaker, I read it again for
the record.
The petition of the undersigned
showeth:
WHEREAS
the people of La Poile must use the provincial ferry
system 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 at the Town of
Rose Blanche where users of the ferry service may use
washroom facilities; and
WHEREAS
the 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 area/washroom
facilities and as in duty bound your Petitioners will
ever pray.
Mr. Speaker, as I say, it is
utterly embarrassing when in this day and age the
provincial government, this government, operates a ferry
service for the people of La Poile to access medical
services, to access centres where they can do their
shopping and they do not have a washroom. In the dead of
winter, February, in the middle of summer if they get to
the wharf and they are waiting for the ferry they
actually have to go up in the bushes or behind the rocks
if they need to relieve themselves. Now in this day and
age, Mr. Speaker, that is despicable and unacceptable.
I call upon the Minister of
Transportation and Works: Please Sir, find the money so
that these people can be treated as decent human beings
and at least give them a washroom. I implore you Sir, do
not do what you did to the citizens of Ramea and Grey
River two years ago when I stood up here on the same
type of issue and you took a porta-potty and stuck it
out on the head of the wharf. That is not acceptable.
A basic human need is to have a
washroom if you are using public services. This is not
too much to ask and I ask the Minister of Transportation
and Works, please find the money so that these people
can be treated as regular, decent human beings that they
are and not as second class, third world citizens.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
