Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition today from residents of Canada about Bill C-9, a bill that would remove the good-faith religious defence clause from the Criminal Code of Canada. Bill C-9 would allow the government to criminalize passages from the Bible, the Quran, the Torah and other sacred texts and to prosecute those who express deeply held religious beliefs with a punishment of up to two years in prison.

Freedom of expression and freedom of religion are fundamental rights that must be protected, so the petitioners are calling on the Government of Canada to withdraw Bill C-9, protect religious freedom, uphold the right to read and share sacred texts, and prevent government intrusion into faith.

Mr. Speaker, the people of Montmorency—Charlevoix are once again calling on the Liberal government to work with our fishers in preparation for the upcoming fishing season in the St. Lawrence River. The river's striped bass population is out of control. This species is a highly efficient predator that is placing significant stress on other species, many of which are already fragile and very important to our region's economy.

What the fishers are asking for is simple. They want their needs to to be taken into account and they want to be consulted during the process. They are also calling for federal authorities to come to the area to see the extent of the damage for themselves and for the government to reopen recreational fishing in a strictly controlled manner using quotas, as is already permitted at the mouth of the St. Lawrence.

Fishing season is just around the corner. It is high time for the government to listen to the people, listen to fishers and take constructive action on their behalf.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition today from Canadians and Vancouver Islanders who are deeply concerned about ghost gear, which is abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear. It is among the deadliest sources of plastic pollution.

These petitioners note that ghost gear kills fish; impacts wild Pacific salmon, marine mammals, seabirds and turtles; damages habitats; creates microplastics; and even hazards navigation and active harvesters, hurting coastal economies. They point out the dedicated funding for retrieval, prevention, repair and recycling works creates skilled jobs in partnership with indigenous communities, small businesses, fishers, harbour authorities and recyclers, especially in rural and remote regions.

The petitioners are calling for the reinstatement and expansion of the permanent and multi-year ghost gear fund, which was cut by the Liberal government.