Mr. Speaker, as I have been doing at virtually every opportunity over the last number of weeks since Parliament reconvened this fall, it is my pleasure to present yet another petition, this one signed by residents of Nepean and Orléans, Ottawa, Port Colborne, Welland and Grimsby, Ontario and points west as well.
The petitioners wish to draw to the attention of the House that on average 2,000 children are adopted from other countries and are brought to Canada by Canadian families who welcome them into their lives.
Whereas biological children of Canadian citizens born abroad receive automatic Canadian citizenship at birth and other countries as well provide this for foreign adoptees, they call upon Parliament to immediately enact legislation to grant automatic citizenship to minors adopted from other countries by Canadian citizens, with citizenship being immediately granted upon the finalization of the adoption.