Mr. Speaker, this petition relates to the fate of Mary Wagner, who was a prisoner of conscience. These petitions come from almost 1,300 residents of the greater Toronto area, the large majority from the riding of Mississauga East—Cooksville.
The petitioners ask Parliament to amend the Criminal Code of Canada to prohibit the detention before trial or custodial sentencing of anyone accused solely of a non-violent offence consisting of the presence or the words of the accused occurring in the course of the free exercise of speech by the accused or the free exercise of conscience by the accused.