They pointed out that, because of the postal strike, mail-in voting was impossible. Canada Post couldn't deliver ballots within the legally set deadlines. As a result, during the last election, mail-in voting rates were much lower than usual. In Chute-Saint-Philippe, for example, half the letters were returned.
Constituents had to travel hundreds of kilometres to vote. It's important to know that most of them own a cottage in the area, but that their main residence is in town. They came in to drop their ballot directly in a municipal mailbox.
Another issue is tax statements. To comply with deadlines prescribed by another law, we'll have to start sending those statements to our citizens in the next two or three months. We'll be faced with the same problem. If Canada Post can't deliver within the legally set deadlines, we'll have to find another solution. Right now, there is none, and if there is, it's expensive.
It's important to note that the Internet has been available in our municipality for only two or three years. Digital services, or even digital technology in general, is not something our citizens are used to. They don't trust it. They keep hearing about things like fraud.
They trust Canada Post.