Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, September 25, the Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement announced a major overhaul of Canada's postal services. Even though Canada Post and its employees have been negotiating for two years, the government intervened in the negotiations, leading to a general strike by postal workers, which has had a significant impact on the entire population.
People waiting for cheques from the Quebec government will have to go to a Quebec service centre to pick them up. There has been a negative impact on the distribution of medication outside major centres. Distribution services for thousands of small and medium-sized businesses have been shut down. Passports are stuck in post offices. The general election in Newfoundland and Labrador has been postponed. Municipal elections in Quebec are at risk. Some 55,000 Canada Post workers are on strike, wondering if they will still have a job tomorrow. All this because the government did not see fit to hold consultations.
That is why we believe it is essential to hold an emergency debate so that we can work together to find solutions to the conflict that began on September 25.