Restoring Mail Delivery for Canadians Act  Mr. Speaker, I listened intently to the member's comments talking about the future and really that distant future. I am actually a surgeon by training and this bill does not need the three, four or five days of labour; it needs a C-section. We need to move rapidly and ensure that we do things for Canadians and for Canadian businesses today.

Restoring Mail Delivery for Canadians Act  Madam Speaker, I do take issue with what the member had to say and I want to be very clear. The Minister of Labour and this government are acting in the public's interest on the Canadian economy and for Canadians to get mail delivery restored. There were a couple of questions that have been raised with respect to Bill C-6.

Restoring Mail Delivery for Canadians Act  Mr. Speaker, I take a bit of issue with the member's comment about this not being a serious and essential need for Canadians. This is a serious and essential need for Canadians. Canadians need their mail delivered and mail delivery must be restored. Small businesses in this country make up 1.5 million of the 10.6 million people who are employed.

Restoring Mail Delivery for Canadians Act  Mr. Speaker, just with respect to the issue of essential services and what individual Canadians require, a lack of mail delivery in this country means that people who live in the far North or remote areas are not receiving prescriptions or eyeglasses, things that are essential for them.

Restoring Mail Delivery for Canadians Act  Mr. Speaker, I find it interesting that the member opposite speaks of his desire to help the vulnerable. I spent a significant portion of my life volunteering and supporting vulnerable people. I prefer to call them children or youth or seniors, or by their actual names, which is probably the best way to refer to them.

Restoring Mail Delivery for Canadians Act  Mr. Speaker, we would actually all get back to work if the opposition made the choice to simply stop this debate and vote with respect to the bill to make sure people get back to work immediately. Our government was elected with a strong mandate to complete Canada's economic recovery.

Restoring Mail Delivery for Canadians Act  Madam Speaker, I appreciate the member's comments but would like to state that this strike is essentially killing businesses. I would like to talk about one of the notes that I received from one of my constituents. I have it here. I actually received it today as a letter, not an e-mail.

Restoring Mail Delivery for Canadians Act  Would the member like to see it? It's right here.

House debate  Mr. Speaker, I will first address the orthopedics analogy that was used earlier by the member for Cape Breton—Canso. I am a pediatric orthopedic surgeon and it is not as he depicted it. This is more like a patient being brought into the emergency department, fast-tracked to the trauma room and treated immediately.

Resumption and Continuation of Postal Services Legislation  Madam Speaker, let us be clear. This is about ensuring that all Canadians can receive essential services, like drugs and eyewear and services in the north, and so that businesses can still function and charities can still receive funds and donations. What is the member's response to the CNIB and, in particular, to the little girl who is not receiving her eyeglasses through the mail and who therefore cannot learn or play?

Resumption and Continuation of Postal Services Legislation  Madam Speaker, we are all disappointed that the parties have been unable to reach an agreement of their own, despite months of negotiation. Nothing in this proposed legislation precludes the employer and the union from entering into a new collective agreement before the legislation is passed.

Resumption and Continuation of Postal Services Legislation  Madam Speaker, with respect to the back-to-work legislation, Labour Canada has worked diligently, as has our minister. Since January 31, Minister Raitt has supported the parties in their negotiations by appointing a conciliation officer and a mediator. Over the past five months, proposals and counter-proposals were exchanged.

Resumption and Continuation of Postal Services Legislation  Madam Speaker, our government has been working with both parties. We have viewed it as the responsibility of both parties to come to an agreement that they find appropriate and acceptable. We are hopeful that they will continue at the bargaining table and come to a resolution of their issue together.

Resumption and Continuation of Postal Services Legislation  Madam Speaker, as I mentioned before, these two parties have both been at the table with the help of a conciliation officer as well as a mediator for numerous months. This is about making sure Canadians can get back to work. Our economy is fragile. We need to move forward so that small businesses, charities, and those individuals who need to receive their benefits, eyewear and drugs, in the far north, actually receive those things.

Resumption and Continuation of Postal Services Legislation  Madam Speaker, I think it is incumbent upon all members of the House to act in the interests of all Canadians. With respect to the wage increases, the proposed legislation includes wage rate increases consistent with other federal public sector collective agreements. The wage rate increases are the result of concessions in the public sector negotiations that take into consideration the future economic viability of Canada Post.