May 12, 1999
(Works, Services and Transportation)

The following statement was issued today by Lloyd Matthews, Acting Minister of Works, Services and Transportation. It was also read in the House of Assembly:

I wish to advise the House that I will be meeting this Friday in Ottawa with the Federal Minister of Transport, David Collenette, to discuss with him the province's total dissatisfaction with the Gulf Marine Ferry Services.

Kelvin Parsons, MHA for Burgeo-LaPoile which includes Port aux Basques, and Fred Mifflin, the Newfoundland and Labrador representative in the federal cabinet will join me for the meeting. Together we will impress upon the federal transport minister our many concerns which include, among others, a replacement vessel for the Atlantic Freighter.

The Atlantic Freighter is simply not adequate to meet the needs of truckers and travellers. We want a multi-purpose vessel that can handle freight demands while also providing quality supplemental passenger service - one that can provide a more timely and efficient level of service on a year-round basis.

This province desperately needs a much more consistent and user-friendly level of ferry service and we are demanding a vessel with significant freight and quality carrying capacity for passengers.

Such a supplemental passenger-freighter vessel would enhance year-round accessibility to our province with its emerging tourism industry; it would enable Marine Atlantic to respond to weather-related service disruptions and clear up passenger and freight backlogs in a more timely fashion.

I, along with senior officials of the department, have had frequent meetings with the Marine Atlantic Board of Directors, the St. John's Board of Trade and the Town of Port aux Basques to discuss our mutual concerns with the Gulf Ferry service and I understand that these groups will be making their views known on this important issue later today. I am happy that these groups have joined our campaign for improved service on the gulf and I am confident that, as a result of our joint efforts, we will no longer be treated as second class citizens.

The service provided on the gulf since the commencement of 1999 has been totally and completely inadequate for truckers and travellers and this is having negative impacts of our economy.

There is an obligation under the Terms of Union for Marine Atlantic to provide a level of service which meets the commitment that was made to us when we joined Confederation in 1949.

Many people are expected to travel to this province this year to take part in the 50th anniversary of Confederation celebrations known as Soiree '99. This government wants Marine Atlantic to take the necessary steps to ensure their services are meeting the needs of their customers.

We have heard enough excuses. It is now time for action. We do not intend to tolerate such insensitivities to travellers and truckers who are totally dependent on this service. We want Marine Atlantic to meet the traffic offering.

1999 05 12 2:30 p.m.