Madam Chair, honourable colleagues, thank you.
Above all, I want to say that I support Mrs. Dhillon's proposal concerning the word “LaSalle“, which designates a territory shared between our two ridings without this causing any confusion. This represents a reality on the ground, a bit like in Edmonton or in other parts of Canada where a name is shared.
As far as I am concerned, I would like to put the work “Émard” back in the name of the riding LaSalle—Émard—Verdun. The recent Report of the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Quebec proposes removing this word, but Ville‑Émard represents a significant part of my riding. In fact, 35% of my electors live there. What is more, Ville‑Émard is distinct in several ways, including historically, since it has an industrial history, which is not really the case for Verdun or LaSalle. It also has a distinct history with respect to immigration, especially when it comes to the Italian population, but also other populations.
It's physically distinct, too. It's an enclave created by the Lachine Canal, by the aqueduct in Montreal and by a major highway, so it's always been physically distinct as well from the other three parts of the riding.
I have the support, as you will have noted in my letter, from l'arrondissement du Sud-Ouest, and in particular Mayor Benoit Dorais, who also outlines the historic and distinct difference that Ville-Émard has always had from other parts of the Sud-Ouest, including Verdun, as well as the Mayor of Verdun, Marie‑Andrée Mauger.
I note that it was part of the name of the riding from 1988 to 2015 when it was LaSalle—Émard, and I note that, in 2015, there was an attempt to remove Émard from the name. At that point, the charge was led by an NDP member of Parliament, Hélène LeBlanc, to reinsert Émard back in the name, and I'm trying to do the same thing. Briefly, it represents the reality. There are three distinct parts of the riding. People see the three distinct parts of the riding, and they understand the three distinct parts of the riding. It's not confusing. It's not too long, and it should stay.