Hon. James Scott Peterson  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay my respects to the Hon. James Scott Peterson, my extraordinary predecessor as the member of Parliament for Willowdale, who, sadly, passed away on May 10. Jim Peterson was a distinguished lawyer, philanthropist, parliamentarian and minister who won six federal elections and served as the member of Parliament for Willowdale for 23 years.

National Strategy to Reduce Food Waste and Combat Food Insecurity  Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for that suggestion. It is great to see that various organizations in B.C. are at the forefront of innovative change. They are certainly filling in gaps that are very important in terms of ensuring that we do have food security in this country.

National Strategy to Reduce Food Waste and Combat Food Insecurity  Madam Speaker, perhaps I was not as clear in identifying the fact that it is imperative for the federal government to work and to collaborate with our provinces. I do not mean to suggest for a second that the federal government should be telling the provinces what to do. Rather, I think it is important that we have a national framework and that this framework is developed in close collaboration with the provinces.

National Strategy to Reduce Food Waste and Combat Food Insecurity  moved: That: (a) the House recognize that, (i) over 20% of food produced in Canada goes uneaten and wasted, costing the Canadian economy tens of billions of dollars, (ii) individuals, families, and communities across Canada face critical levels of food insecurity, (iii) surplus food unfit for human consumption may serve as animal feed, supporting farmers and reducing national methane emissions, (iv) in 2015, the United Nations set Sustainable Development Goals that included a commitment to reduce food waste by 50% by 2030, (v) national strategies have been developed across the world to reduce food waste by incentivizing food donations and preventing the destruction of unsold yet safe and edible food products; and (b) in the opinion of the House, the government should develop and implement a national strategy to reduce food waste and combat food insecurity to, (i) establish a National Food Waste Hierarchy, (ii) align municipal and provincial regulations concerning food waste reduction and food donations, (iii) lead efforts to reduce the adverse environmental impact of unused food resources, (iv) establish protocols and partnerships to facilitate food redistribution and rescue efforts, (v) identify policy and fiscal incentives to reduce food waste, (vi) raise public awareness regarding food waste, food insecurity, and associated government initiatives.

Committees of the House  Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 26th report of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development in relation to the motion adopted on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, regarding the governance of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission.

Human Rights in Iran  Mr. Speaker, once again I rise today to draw the attention of the House to the horrific and wholesale abuse of justice taking place in Iran. The regime in Tehran continues to wage war on its own citizens. Several days ago, 33-year-old Toomaj Salehi was sentenced to death. An extraordinary hip-hop artist and rapper, Toomaj has simply been demanding that the civil rights of all Iranians be respected.

Committees of the House  Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 25th report of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, entitled “Strengthening Canada's Diplomatic Capacity in an Increasingly Turbulent Age”. Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report.

Canada-Korea Relations  I would like to thank you, Mr. Speaker, for hosting a dinner last night to warmly welcome a delegation headed by the hon. Speaker of The National Assembly of the Republic of Korea and six members of the Korean Parliament. I believe all members of the House can agree that official relations between Canada and Korea have never been stronger.

Petitions  Madam Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to table two petitions today. They follow on the heels of a day of action that took place here, where over 40 Afghan and Iranian women descended upon Ottawa to meet with members of Parliament and with senators to urge them to recognize the crime of gender apartheid.

Committees of the House  Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 24th report of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, entitled “Including Every Child, Benefitting All: International Disability-Inclusive Education”. I can assure the House that all the members worked very hard to present this report.

Nowruz  Mr. Speaker, today marks the spring equinox, otherwise called Nowruz, which marks the new year for Iranians, Afghans, Ismailis, Baha’is, Zoroastrians and over 300 million individuals across the world. Many around the world are excited to welcome spring and the promise of a new year.

Women and Gender Equality  Mr. Speaker, today I want to draw the House's attention to the ongoing tragedy of gender apartheid. In states around the world, most notably Afghanistan and Iran, women and girls are oppressed by regimes that seek to segregate them from society and treat them as second-class citizens.

Petitions  Mr. Speaker, as everyone in this House is fully aware, this weekend marked the second anniversary of Putin's unprovoked and illegal war on Ukraine. Given the unspeakable violence Putin has unleashed on Ukrainians, which I can speak to as someone who has been there three times since the war started, I am incredibly proud to present a petition today that I have received from citizens across Canada.

Committees of the House  Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 23rd report of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, entitled “Canada’s Sanctions Regime: Transparency, Accountability and Effectiveness.” Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report.

Canada-South Korea Relations  Mr. Speaker, 2023 marks the 60th anniversary of Canada's diplomatic relations with the Republic of Korea. Several days ago, the Korean national assembly adopted a special resolution celebrating this significant milestone. The resolution mentioned the immense contributions of Canadian veterans to the defence of democracy during the Korean War and acknowledged the deep economic, strategic and cultural ties that bind our nations together.