Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the appropriate standing order I would like to table in this House a petition regarding Newfoundland's gulf ferry service. This is a petition that I would like to talk about further.
The petitioners are calling upon parliament to respect the terms of the constitutional obligation that Canada shares with Newfoundland in providing an essential public ferry service between the province of Newfoundland and Labrador and the mainland of Canada. The petition calls upon the Parliament of Canada to enact an appropriate level of funding for this service and to ensure that indeed it is deemed an essential service so that there is a continuous link.