If I may, I would like to start.
Thank you for your question. I see that you have a clear understanding of our rural reality.
Mr. Blanchette-Joncas described it well just now. About every ten years, our region, eastern Quebec, loses some feathers. The commissioners often use the ten-year census argument and the demographic decline reported in the regions of Quebec outside urban centres.
We know there is the provision concerning the Senate in the Constitution Act, 1867, for example, but we should perhaps consider a provision for the regions, to enable regions like ours to retain a reasonable number of votes in the House of Commons.
If we look to what has happened in recent years and what may occur, can we conclude that in ten years there will be no members left in eastern Quebec? Ten years later, will there be only one member, while there are 100 members in downtown Montreal?
Representativeness has to be considered when decisions like this are being made. Maybe, also, the entire region, rather than one riding, should be granted special status.