Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Orders 104 and 114, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 19th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, regarding the membership of the committees of the House. If the House gives its consent, I intend to move concurrence on the 19th report later this day.

While I am on my feet, I also have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 20th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, entitled “Becoming a Candidate in an Election: A Review of the Criteria”. Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to quickly discuss a supplementary opinion to the report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs.

Is it agreed?

Some hon. members: Agreed.

Mr. Speaker, first, I want to thank the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs for the collaborative approach it has taken to ensure that elections run smoothly, which unfortunately has not always been the case. The Bloc Québécois supports all of the recommendations in the report except one, and that is the recommendation that seeks to limit the number of nomination papers a voter can sign to one per voter.

We respectfully submit that if this new rule were to be implemented, it would not limit the number of candidates running in an election. Mr. Kingsley, the former chief electoral officer, and Mr. Perrault, the current Chief Electoral Officer, said that there would not necessarily be enough time to cross-reference the signatures to determine whether any of them appear on nomination papers associated with an organization seeking to have a large number of candidates run in an election and also on the nomination papers of candidates not affiliated with such a campaign. In any case, both witnesses suggested that a candidate's nomination should not be rejected even if they have many signatures. Therefore, limiting the number of signatures would not prevent multiple valid nomination papers from being filed or prevent a large number of candidates from ending up on the ballot.

However, some negative consequences have been identified, including the fact that voters who are told that they are only allowed to support one candidate could call into question the secrecy of the vote. Voters might feel, indirectly and implicitly, that they are backing a candidate in order to cast a vote for them rather than to simply allow them to stand. Voters who are still undecided would also not have the opportunity to support two candidates in order to see them face off in a debate, for example, so that they can decide on the best choice among the candidates on the ballot.

We therefore respectfully maintain that limiting the number of signatures a voter can provide on nomination papers is not a measure that will resolve the issue of excessively long ballots. On the contrary, such a measure would have unintended consequences.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a supplementary report from Conservative members of the committee.

The longest ballot committee constitutes a coordinated effort to undermine our elections, undermine confidence in a democratic process and sow confusion among voters. Conservatives support the recommendations in the report to close the loopholes in the Canada Elections Act that the longest ballot committee has taken advantage of.

I would add that it was an initiative of the Conservatives that led to the study, and it was the Conservatives who first called on the Liberal government to take action to address the disruptive activities of the longest ballot committee. We now urge the Liberal government to speedily introduce targeted legislation to prevent groups like the longest ballot committee from disrupting future elections.

Mr. Speaker, it being later this day, if the House gives its consent, I move that the 19th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented to the House earlier this day, be concurred in.

All those opposed to the hon. member's moving the motion will please say nay. It is agreed.

The House has heard the terms of the motion. All those opposed to the motion will please say nay.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition on behalf of citizens and residents of Canada concerning the start-up visa program. The petitioners are concerned that in recent years, start-up visa applicants have faced extensive and unpredictable processing delays, often lasting several years, despite having undergone rigorous vetting by designated organizations.

Therefore, the petitioners call upon the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to increase annual permanent residence admissions under the start-up visa program; allocate additional resources to reduce application backlogs; adopt a risk-based triage system to fast-track low-risk applicants; and resume issuing a limited number of work permits to essential founders so that they can build early business traction while their applications are being processed.

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise and present a petition on behalf of concerned constituents. They are concerned because, as we all know here, the poverty rates among people in the disabled community in Canada are shamefully high.

The petitioners point out that after COVID, a lot of services that are essential for people in the disabled community are provided virtually, but the tax system has not caught up to this reality, so disabled Canadians are taxed on services that are a medical necessity. Prior to COVID, had they gone in person to receive them, they would have been tax-free.

The petitioners are asking the Minister of Finance to revise the criteria, review the real-life situation of Canadians living with disabilities and establish a new standard for tax exemptions to enable organizations to offer tax-free virtual support services and programs. It is a matter of essential justice.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of a Conservative petition regarding the flawed amendments the Bloc and the Liberals are proposing to Bill C-9. If passed, it would put the religious freedoms of Canadians in jeopardy. My residents of Abbotsford—South Langley have voiced their concern regarding this development and how it may restrict their freedoms.

As our Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms clearly states in sections 2(a) and 2(b), the freedoms of expression and religion must be preserved and are crucial to Canadian society. Therefore, the petitioners call on the government to protect religious freedom, uphold the right to read and share sacred texts and prevent government overreach into matters of faith.

Mr. Speaker, I have a second petition. I rise today on behalf of petitioners of Abbotsford—South Langley to highlight an important issue affecting the growth and safety of local athletes. The lack of adequate training facilities for the home Wolverines Field Hockey Club limits development, compromises safety and restricts competitive opportunities.

Therefore, the petitioners call on the Government of Canada to provide funding assistance through the federal sport infrastructure grant or relief programs, and partner with provincial and municipal bodies to support the construction of a grass hockey field suitable for training, development and competitive play.

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to rise today to present a petition on behalf of residents of Burlington and citizens of Canada.

Following the tragic loss of her daughter Katie Pryla, a constituent of mine noted that connective tissue disorders, such as Marfan syndrome, often go undiagnosed, despite clear clinical signs such as scoliosis, hypermobility, long limb proportions and early connective tissue complications. It can lead to unforeseen medical consequences, particularly for those who become pregnant.

Therefore, the petitioners are requesting that the Government of Canada establish national screening guidelines for Marfan syndrome and related connective tissue disorders, especially for patients presenting with scoliosis or similar connective tissue disorders; implement national education and awareness programs for physicians, specialists and other health care professionals on identifying and managing connective tissue disorders; require genetic and cardiac screening protocols for IVF and high-risk pregnancy patients with connective tissue indicators; and support public awareness initiatives to educate Canadians on the signs and risks of Marfan syndrome and the importance of early education.

If the government were to do such things, it could help prevent the tragic and unnecessary loss of life.

I am pleased to be able to present this petition on behalf of my constituents.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise to present a petition signed by the law-abiding property owners of Carleton, Kanata, Nepean, Nipissing—Timiskaming and my great riding of Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke.

The petitioners are raising awareness about the lack of legal protections homeowners and landowners have when they must protect themselves, their property and their families against violent criminals emboldened by a decade of Liberal soft-on-crime policies. They support the Conservatives' stand on guard act, Bill C-270, which would clarify the legal standards around self-defence and defence of property so that those who are the target of crime would not be punished for fighting back to protect those they cherish.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition from dozens of Canadians who are concerned about mental illness and recognize that mental illness is a serious and real illness, but who are calling on the House to support Bill C-218, which would reverse the law extending eligibility for MAID to people with mental illness as their sole underlying medical condition. They believe that mental illness should be treated and not given a death sentence.

Mr. Speaker, I am tabling a petition on behalf of constituents in Mission—Matsqui—Abbotsford who are deeply concerned about proposed changes to the salmon allocation policy that would decimate regular recreational fishing opportunities for coho and chinook in British Columbia.

Recreational fishers fully recognize conservation in first nations' constitutionally protected food, social, ceremonial and commercial fisheries. For generations, salmon have been managed by the government as a common property resource, held in trust for the benefit of all. Changing this common property principle risks turning a shared public resource into an exclusive privilege, reducing access for many Canadians and undermining confidence in fisheries management. Petitioners note that this would be devastating to our tourism economy and the billions of dollars that flow into conservation efforts.

Therefore, petitioners are calling on the Minister of Fisheries to leave the current salmon allocation policy alone and uphold the cultural rights and traditions of all British Columbians.