Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to express my total disagreement with the proposed electoral redistribution and ask that steps be initiated to halt the process immediately.
Last Friday over 30 municipal leaders of my riding, as well as the West Island of Montreal, were consulted. They agreed unanimously that the proposal does not reflect the reality of our region. In these difficult economic times, when tomorrow once again in this very House Canadians are going to be asked to make difficult sacrifices, can we really afford the millions of dollars that this reform will cost, let alone ask ourselves what it will accomplish?
I have consulted with many of my colleagues from Ontario, Quebec, the west and the Atlantic provinces, and we all agree it is our duty to be frugal with the taxpayers' hard-earned money. We can save millions of dollars by simply passing a bill to delay electoral reform until the next census.
I do not believe Canadians are under represented by the current 295 MPs. Allow me to conclude by reminding the House that it is quality, not quantity that should be the focus here.