Madam Speaker, this adjournment debate marks the second time in two weeks that I rise in this House regarding the closure of the Quebec City sorting centre and its transfer to Montreal.
The minister's replies last week to my numerous questions, and those of his parliamentary secretary, are totally unacceptable and are a show of contempt towards the 130,000 petitioners who oppose the decision made by Canada Post. These include socio-economic and political stakeholders, and postal workers affected by this decision.
Given such a large number of people from the whole Quebec City region opposing the decision, the minister can no longer remain silent and take cover behind Canada Post officials. He must now show leadership regarding this issue and take concrete action. This is what the Quebec City region is asking him to do. First, he must put that decision on hold until an overall postal services restructuring plan is developed, and he must also agree to meet coalition officials to discuss this issue.
The minister tries to justify his wait-and-see attitude by saying that the closure will not result in the loss of any jobs. Last week, I thought I had shown that, over time, the Quebec City region would lose 500 jobs, which represents $15 million in salaries. Either the minister does not understand the situation, or he does not want to understand it. If I did not succeed in convincing him, he should meet with coalition members. They will confirm my claims.
It has now been four weeks since the coalition opposing the closure of the Quebec City sorting centre asked to meet the minister. The coalition did not get a reply. It did not even get an acknowledgment from the minister. I thought that the representations I made last week would have spurred the minister into action and that a member of his office would have quickly organized a meeting with the coalition or, at least, would have acknowledged its request, but none of that has happened.
Out of respect for the 130,000 petitioners represented by the coalition, the minister should at least respond to the written request he received. That is just plain good manners. Either he denies the request or, as I once invited him to do, he can agree to meet with representatives of this coalition in order to hear and talk about the many reasons to keep a mail sorting centre in Quebec City.
This would also be a sign that the minister was open and acting in good faith here. Can he assure the members of this House that this will be done without further delay?
Once again, the minister has not given a clear answer to the questions I have asked him in the House. I want the minister to stop saying that Canada Post's efficiency and productivity is behind the closure of the mail sorting centre in Quebec City. He is disregarding one of Canada Post's arguments to justify closing the sorting centre in Quebec City. Why then are there six in Ontario, two in Alberta, two in British Columbia and only the one in Quebec City is to be closed? Why the one in Quebec City?
His argument about productivity would be more convincing if it was accompanied by an overall restructuring plan. This is what we want from the minister. It is very plain and simple. He needs to present his restructuring plan and then we will be able to see the overall issue and understand why Quebec City is the first. Why should Quebec be subject to a closure before Ontario, Saskatchewan and British Columbia?