I 100% agree with him. Mr. Simms, that's what I was trying to say, as well. Also, one thing to consider is that, if you look at the Scottish model, if they sat for three days a week, then we'd all be flying back to B.C., and the odd time we'd stay. Mr. Bagnell, I imagine you don't stay ever.
I try to stay once in a while—better for the environment—especially if I'm working late on a Friday and I'm back early on Monday. I think that's very important, and also saves costs to the taxpayer. If I'm going all the way home and by the time I get home, the way flights go, especially in the winter.... Often my flights are bumped and I stay in Calgary or wherever I am when I'm switching planes. It happened three times this winter that I got bumped because of weather. The reality is that, for a lot of MPs who live very far, a few of us stay on the weekends once in a while.
When you look at three days, for example—and I know you come from far away, Mr. Simms, from Gander—imagine coming all the way from Vancouver Island to work for three days and then flying all the way back. It doesn't make sense for us to even consider three days. I know if we go to four, then we're going to go to three. This decision-making just doesn't seem to be looking at people coming from great distances, as far as I am concerned.
I don't support the idea that we work four longer days. Imagine if you have children who came to Ottawa to live with you, like some of our colleagues. They're going to be working longer days from Monday to Thursday, they're not going to be in their ridings as often because they're going to be sitting in Ottawa, and that's very important. Family is important. People do make a decision to bring family here because it's important. When they have young children, they need to do that, especially single parliamentarians who have to make that difficult decision.
I know there are a lot of scenarios to talk about, but the most important thing is that we decide with consensus when we make decisions that are going to impact families around this table and the function of Parliament. Our great concern on this side is that the government is listening and wants to have a conversation, but it's going to make a decision regardless of what the other parties say. That's the fundamental problem.