Cape Breton MPs go back to Ottawa with a wish list

Cape Breton's two MPs, both Liberals,will take a list of wisheswith them into the new session of Parliamenton Thursday.

They both say they'vebeen meeting with constituents and organizations since the federal election in October.

Sydney-Victoria MP Mark Eyking saidissues in his riding include everything from the reopening of the Veterans Affairs office in Sydney to the proposal to build a giant war memorial at Green Covein the Cape Breton Highlands National Park.

He said the Veterans Affairsoffice will likelyreopen next yearand he'llbe looking for a lot of answers from the environment minister and Parks Canada to his questions about theMother Canada statue.

Eyking saidpeople want to know ifthe privately-sponsored projecthas the money it needsand whether ithas followed the proper procedures.

He said Cape Breton'shigh child poverty rate is also a big concern.A report issued last week by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives pegged the rateat onein three children in Cape Breton.

Cape Breton Canso MP Roger Cuzner saidthere are also serious federal issues of importance to his constituents.He saidpeople want changes to employment insurance and old age security, changesthat were promised in the election campaign.

EykingsaidPrime Minister Justin Trudeau is also working on changes to the way the House of Commons operates, including a longer Question Period and changes to the structure of parliamentary committees to give them a bigger role in government.

The first session of the 42ndParliament opens at1 p.m. ET on Thursday.