Madam Speaker, the member for Winnipeg Centre raised a very important issue that must be addressed by the House as we pursue Bill C-8. The issue has been invisible to date, and I am surprised that more members are not speaking up about the impact of bank closures on their communities.
I am talking about rural communities, isolated northern communities, inner city older neighbourhoods, and whole communities that have been abandoned by the big banks and that do not seem to be addressed in the legislation.
The member for Winnipeg Centre and I have experienced numerous bank branch closures over the last several years. Low income residents, senior citizens and small businesses are not able to get the services they need and deserve.
Would the hon. member have any suggestions for the government to improve the legislation? Would he support the idea of a moratorium on bank branch closures until such time as we can put in place proper mechanisms for addressing profitability and community viability? Would he agree with the idea enunciated by our colleague from Regina—Qu'Appelle about some form of obligation on the part of the banks to reinvest back into the communities that gave them their position of profitability in the first place?