Mr. Speaker, I have the distinct honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, entitled “Unleashing the Potential of the Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food Sector through Regulatory Reform”. Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report.

We know that agriculture is one of the most important sectors here in Canada, and we have to keep looking for ways to support farmers and the sector to build it so it continues to add to economic growth.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition on behalf of constituents of mine in the Coast of Bays area who signed it. They want to be able to use mechanical scallop haulers. There is discrimination against elderly people and against people who have disabilities and other physical constraints. Rakes, with scallops and rocks, are very heavy to haul up, and this presents a safety danger.

In addition, the petition calls for commercial harvesters to be allowed to fish scallops recreationally.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to present three petitions.

The first is on behalf of residents in Mission—Matsqui—Abbotsford regarding the gun confiscation program that will cost Canadian taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. They feel it unfairly targets law-abiding firearms owners, and the petitioners note the Parliamentary Budget Officer estimates the cost to compensate firearm owners alone will exceed $750 million. Even the public safety minister, petitioners mention, has serious doubts as to the effectiveness and validity of the program.

The residents call upon the Government of Canada to rescind the program and to prioritize public safety with change to our bail laws.

Mr. Speaker, the second petition I would like to present is on behalf angered parents who are again calling upon the Government of Canada to enforce its agreement with British Columbia and not allow for a safe consumption site across the street from a school track. Parents are calling for the Government of Canada to cease all funding to BC Housing until it comes to its senses and finds a more suitable location for supportive housing.

Mr. Speaker, third, I would like to present a petition today on extortion.

Petitioners are concerned about daylight shootings, murders and violence, which underscore a broader public safety issue. The residents are calling upon the Government of Canada to reinforce the process of public reporting so Canadians can clearly see how federal, provincial and local governments are working together to prevent further increases in violent organized crime.

Petitioners raise this in honour of Darshan Sahsi, who was murdered outside his home in my riding.

Mr. Speaker, it is a great honour to present a petition on behalf of Canadians alarmed that Liberal-Bloc amendments to Bill C-9 would be used to criminalize passages of the Bible, the Quran, the Torah and other sacred texts. A lot of this concern emanates from the fact that the man who is now the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture said that prosecutors should be able to “press charges” for people citing scripture the government finds objectionable.

The petitioners believe that the state has no place in religious texts or teachings of any faith community and that the House must stand firm and protect freedom of expression and freedom of religion. Petitioners call on the Liberal government to protect these fundamental freedoms and reject any incursions on them in Bill C-9 or any other legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I am standing today on behalf of people who are calling for freedom of choice in health care, which is becoming increasingly curtailed and further threatened by legislation and statutory regulations of the Government of Canada.

It is a fundamental right of individuals to be able to choose how to prevent illness or how to address illness or injury in their own body. Canadians want the freedom to decide how they will prevent illness and how they will address that illness or injury in their own body. They are competent and able to make their own health care decisions without state interference.

Therefore petitioners call upon the government to guarantee the right of every Canadian to health freedom by enacting the charter of health freedom, drafted by the Natural Health Product Protection Association on September 4, 2008.

Mr. Speaker, petitioners raise an issue of equity and dignity, as well as of basic autonomy, for people with disabilities and their families.

The RDSP is meant to secure a person's long-term financial future, yet petitioners raise that the current rules create unnecessary barriers that prevent many people from even opening a plan. When qualifying members lose their ability to act after 2026, and when only a narrow set of relatives are permitted, people will be left without support and could be forced into costly and intrusive legal processes that undermine their rights and independence.

Petitioners calls on Parliament to extend and expand access so trusted supporters chosen by the individual can assist without delay, and to ensure that these practices are consistent across Canada.

At its core, the petition, initiated by Amy Ross and Sue Simpson from the riding of Waterloo, is about respecting people's self-determination and ensuring that no one is denied financial security because of outdated rules.

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise today on behalf of residents of Abbotsford—South Langley who are deeply concerned about the increasing prevalence of organized crime, extortion and intimidation in our community of Abbotsford. Recent daylight shootings, homicides and other violent incidents underscore a broader systemic public safety crisis within our country.

The petitioners mourn the death of Darshan Singh Sahsi.

Residents call upon the Government of Canada to reinforce the process of public reporting so Canadians can clearly see how the federal, municipal and provincial governments work together to further prevent increases in violent and organized crime.