Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure for me to rise and present yet another petition in the long list of petitions that I have been presenting at every opportunity this fall on a subject very important to many Canadians. This one is signed by citizens from all across the country, so many communities from so many different provinces I cannot possibly list them all.
The petition notes that on average about 2,000 children a year are adopted from other countries and brought to Canada. Children adopted from foreign countries by Canadian citizens currently do not gain automatic citizenship despite the fact that other countries do grant automatic citizenship to foreign children who are taken to those countries, countries like the United States of America and Great Britain.
Therefore, the petitioners are seeking from Parliament that it immediately enacts legislation to grant automatic citizenship to those minors adopted from other countries by Canadian citizens with this citizenship being immediately granted upon the finalization of the adoption process. I note that the minister has promised to bring forward stand-alone legislation to accomplish this. I would hope that he does so in a timely manner.