Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition here today on behalf of my constituents in the municipalities of Delson, Saint-Mathieu, Sainte-Catherine, Saint-Constant, Saint-Isidore, Mercier and Kahnawake.
For several weeks now, the mayors, municipal counsellors, postmasters and citizens of those municipalities have been worried about the future of postal service. Despite the fact that the Canadian Postal Service Charter of September 12, 2009, announced that the moratorium on post office closures in rural areas and municipalities with under 10,000 residents will be maintained, I nevertheless seriously question what these promises are worth. Considering that the document says they will remain open, and then goes on to explain the procedure for closing them, the citizens have serious doubts about the government's sincerity.
The government must understand that the closure of rural post offices will create a division between people who live in the city and people who live in rural areas, and will contribute to the isolation of people with reduced mobility. It will also make things very difficult for our seniors. Maintaining this universal and affordable public service is essential to the economic viability and social identity of our communities.
I therefore present a petition containing 1,892 signatures.