Mr. Speaker, Campobello relies on ferry boat service for direct access to mainland New Brunswick. As of December 1, the ferry will not operate again until the spring. For the next six months, the only way for island families to visit a doctor, get kids to a sports match, go banking or even fulfill court-ordered custody agreements is to cross a bridge and drive an hour through the state of Maine.
The Government of Canada recently responded to a petition calling on Ottawa to help New Brunswick and the New Brunswick government provide Campobello residents the same direct access to Canada that other Canadians take for granted every single day. Unfortunately, the government’s reply was merely a statement of facts that the island has road access and ferries are a provincial responsibility.
However, one year ago, Parliament debated the unacceptability of U.S. border guards opening Canada Post mail going to Campobello. During those deliberations, the government appropriately opened the door to assisting with this ferry infrastructure. I expect that commitment to help New Brunswick still stands, and that the federal government will assist the province when a plan for reliable ferry access to Campobello is finalized.
Islanders are right to fight for equal access to Canada. They are after all Canadians.