Thank you for that excellent question, Ms. Gaudreau.
I understand that our announcement regarding the lifting of the moratorium is causing concern. The directives I have given to Canada Post are very clear: It is essential to protect service in rural, remote and indigenous communities, and I expect this principle to be reflected in the plan that will be provided.
Let me explain the thinking behind lifting the moratorium. It has been in place since 1994 and has created some incomprehensible situations. In some communities—I could give you a whole list—such as Richmond Hill, which is not necessarily a rural area today but may have been 30 years ago, there are post offices covered by the moratorium that are located a few hundred metres from another service point, if not across the street.
Lifting the moratorium will therefore allow service to be distributed appropriately across the country, so that there are no such anomalies, while preserving service in rural communities. On this subject, I have had good discussions with the people at the Union des municipalités du Québec to reassure them, because I understand their concerns. I am aware that the post office is often an essential link in many communities. That is really not the aim of lifting the moratorium.