I think we would need a lot more than two minutes to discuss this issue.
I'm grateful that you mentioned the northern regions of Quebec, like Abitibi and James Bay. Many parallels can be made with the northern regions of Canada.
It's crucial that Parliament and the federal electoral boundaries commissions consider the challenges facing MPs who must represent regions like ours that are so huge and diverse.
It must also be recognized that Statistics Canada data doesn't reflect the actual population in some regions. This poses major problems, especially for Indigenous communities.
As you said, MPs who represent remote areas spent a lot of time in the air. In fact, that's why I was late this morning. Living conditions in those regions are very different. I'm thinking of the extreme cold, for example. When we do our work as MPs, certain factors are much harder for us, whereas they are taken for granted in other regions. For example, our offices are far away and we and our staff often need to travel. That's why it's so important that we can work virtually. It makes it possible for us to always stay in touch with our communities.
Lastly, it boils down to saying that we don't want two types of MPs: those whose offices are located close to the people they represent and those who, along with their staff, run themselves ragged to provide services to which all constituents are entitled.
So it's a matter of fairness, and I thank you for bringing this up, Ms. Gaudreau.