Mr. Speaker, I will read the contents of the preamble of this petition I am presenting on behalf of my constituents: whereas Canada has been a land of hope for newcomers, particularly refugees, and Canadians are proud of our multicultural society, Canada has an international reputation of commitment to protecting human rights as a signatory to numerous international treaties on refugees and human rights, including the convention relating to the status of refugees, the convention against torture, the convention on the rights of the child and the international covenant on civil and political rights.
Millions of people around the globe are refugees fleeing war, persecution, torture and other forms of violence, the vast majority of whom are hosted by poorer nations. Canada accepts just a tiny percentage of the world's refugees, and refugees are less than one-tenth of our total immigration. The petitioners call upon Parliament to do the following: to “welcome the stranger in need” and significantly increase the number of refugees that Canada accepts annually; to lift barriers that prevent refugees from reaching Canada; to provide international leadership to address the causes that force people from their homes and prevent them from returning; to reform Canada's refugee and immigration program to ensure full access to due process; to speed the immigration process for reuniting refugees and their families; and finally, to take further measures to help newcomers integrate into Canadian society.