Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36 and as certified by the clerk of petitions, I have two petitions to present today.
The first one is on the universal declaration of animal welfare. These petitioners from my riding of Mississauga South would like to point out that there is scientific consensus and public acknowledgement that animals can feel pain and can suffer and that all efforts should be made to prevent animal cruelty and to reduce animal suffering.
They also point out that over a billion people in the world rely on animals for their livelihood and many others rely on animals for companionship. They also point out that animals are often significantly affected by natural disasters and yet are seldom considered during relief efforts and emergency planning despite their recognized importance to humans.
The petitioners therefore call upon the Government of Canada to support a universal declaration on animal welfare.