Mr. Speaker, it is always an honour to stand in this place and present a petition. This one reflects an issue that is of burning concern and interest. I have just completed nine rounds of public meetings in my riding of Saanich—Gulf Islands, and this issue came up every time.
It is the issue of anchorages that are basically free parking lots for freighters when the Port of Vancouver overflows. We have freighters that drag their anchors and park in places like Plumper Sound off the coast of Gabriola and all through the Salish Sea. There was an interim protocol that was supposed to have covered the issue. Transport Canada was looking at interim solutions and it was extended for a full year.
The constituents and the petitioners on this petition have really had enough of the free parking lots for enormous freighters with their generators running and lights on all night. The petitioners call for the suspension of the use of outside-of-port anchorages in the areas targeted by the interim protocol. They call on the Government of Canada to develop a comprehensive strategy to resolve the inefficiencies created by the anchoring of freighters.