Thank you, Chair. I'd like to thank the members of the committee. It's a pleasure to be here with my northern colleagues today.
My recommendation is very simple. I'll give you a little background. Under the first proposal, essentially my riding of Nipissing—Timiskaming was cut in half and it was proposed that the Timiskaming portion be realigned with Nickel Belt. As others have indicated, this caused considerable consternation. That portion of Timiskaming has always been aligned with the Highway 11 corridor, and that was the major objective I received as well.
Under the second proposal, everything was moved back from Nickel Belt to my riding—everything except the northern border. By the northern border, I submit that the townships of Harris, Hudson, and several unincorporated townships.... When I talked to residents in that portion, several people approached me and mentioned two factors. They are aligned with the Highway 11 corridor, and further, they are aligned with Temiskaming Shores. That's really their community of interest.
As Mr. Thibeault has pointed out, it's more or less the situation of Lively to Sudbury. It's the same situation in these cases. They're very small townships but, nonetheless, their community of interest is Temiskaming Shores. So it's very simple, Mr. Chairman. All I'm saying is that not everything was put back; indeed, those particular townships weren't put back. In accordance with the wishes of the residents, I am requesting that they be put back. I took it upon myself to call the reeves of the two townships, and they concurred. I had a discussion with Mr. Angus, who indicated that he doesn't have a problem with it, so I'm asking that this portion be reallocated to Nipissing—Timiskaming.
As for participation, Chair, call it naïveté on the part of a first-time member, but during the first proposals I thought that we as MPs were to stand back and let the public provide the input. As MP Hayes has indicated, that's why I stood back and didn't comment. I let the people comment.
With this second proposal, I'm here to convey the wishes of the residents that they would like to realign. So it's very simple: just put back the townships, and I'd be happy.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.