Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions. On the first petition those who signed want to draw the attention of the House to the following. Acts of discrimination against lesbian, gay and bisexual Canadians are an everyday reality in all regions of Canada. This kind of discrimination is unacceptable in a country known for its commitment to human rights, equality and dignity of all citizens.
Therefore the petitioners call upon Parliament to act quickly to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and to adopt all necessary measures to recognize the full equality of same sex relationships in federal law.
Mr. Speaker, the second petition is also from people in Peterborough riding who are concerned about the effect of proposed changes in human rights legislation on the family.
They request that Parliament refrain from passing into law any bill extending family status or spousal benefits to same sex partners. They further request that Parliament not amend the human rights code, the Canadian Human Rights Act or the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in any way which would tend to indicate societal approval of same sex relationships.