Mr. Speaker, the gulf ferry service connecting the island of Newfoundland with the mainland of Canada was guaranteed in our 1949 terms of union with Canada. However this is not to say that we are provided with the type of service we feel we deserve.
There have been many complaints over the years about service quality, vessel cleanliness, the rate structure and the constant threat of labour unrest at the start of our tourist season. The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, regional development agencies and the local business community have all been addressing these concerns on an ongoing basis.
I call upon the Government of Canada to set up a federal-provincial committee to examine the gulf ferry service with a view to initiating improvements in that service. The gulf ferry service is not between Newfoundland and Canada, it is in Canada and, as such, should be a service that all Canadians can be proud of.