Madam Chair, I have several questions for the minister.
I was not able to talk about Quebec's port facilities in committee. As the minister surely knows, many communities in Quebec and in my north shore riding have no road connecting them to the rest of the world or the continent.
Be it the Magdalen Islands, the iconic Anticosti Island or the lower north shore that borders Labrador, port facilities are central to the history and the economic and social development of these communities and to the lives of first nations. In short, we evolved in symbiosis with the St. Lawrence River.
The minister probably also knows that the Premier of Quebec is very interested in port facilities. In his book entitled Cap sur un Québec gagnant, François Legault wrote that Quebec needs to be able to count on the federal government to take on its share of responsibility, especially when it comes to wharf maintenance, which falls under federal jurisdiction.
According to Mr. Legault, the federal government's disengagement in recent years has rendered the situation completely unacceptable. Some wharves have become so dilapidated that they no longer meet the needs of recreational boaters, even though those wharves are an important part of the economy and very identity of towns and villages along the river. Unless this situation is remedied, it could cost Quebec dearly.
Does the minister agree with what the Premier of Quebec said?