Mr. Speaker, today is National Child Day and I am pleased to present seven petitions with the signature of 150 Canadians from the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. They are concerned that by ratifying and implementing the United Nations convention on the rights of the child that government bureaucrats and courts will be legally entitled to determine what is in the best interests of the child, not the parents.
The petitioners believe that the Government of Canada is creating a bureaucracy to police parents and enforce the guidelines in the UN charter, which has never been approved by Parliament. Not only are parental rights being undermined by implementing this UN convention, but they are concerned that it will create greater incentives for families to abrogate their parental responsibilities to the state.
Therefore, the petitioners request Parliament to address their concerns by supporting my Private Members Motion No. 33 which will add protection of parental rights and responsibilities to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.