Madam Speaker, I am honoured to present petitions endorsed by hundreds of people from my constituency, the majority from Salt Spring Island, and another petition, which is the same, from people from the lower mainland.
The petitioners request that Parliament make the Coast Guard an independent body, separate from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, with all the necessary resources for staffing and equipment, including a new hovercraft, to enable it to perform rescues of those in peril.
This is a very important issue. The petitioners are obviously very pleased with the member for Delta--South Richmond, and hopefully the government will take notice as well, of his long pursuit of this matter.