Mr. Speaker, I rise to present another petition from people of the Peterborough area who are still concerned about the situation in Iraq. They point out that the people of Iraq have suffered untold hardship and trauma in the wake of the gulf war and again during the mass bombings. They point out that sanctions, far from helping to destroy the repressive government of Saddam Hussein, have actually strengthened it and destroyed any useful opposition.
The petitioners call upon parliament to strongly appeal to the United Nations, the U.S. and Britain to reject any further military action against Iraq and call for a serious attempt at peace negotiations with Iraq and its neighbours; that in order to build a stable and sustainable society in Iraq, excluding an embargo on military materials, all other sanctions be lifted; and that Canada take a lead in the reconstruction of Iraq by providing food, medicine and other supplies for children.