Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to present a petition signed by Canadians who are opposed to the closure of the Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory, more commonly known as PEARL. Last year, in co-operation with other scientists, researchers from this laboratory discovered the largest hole in the ozone layer ever measured.
Unlike the Conservatives, who refuse to take action on this issue, these Canadians know that climate change is going to have a growing impact on them. They know that the effects of climate change are being felt more strongly in the far north and that PEARL is essential.
This petition demonstrates the Conservatives' contempt for atmospheric sciences. These Canadians are calling for action on climate change and are hoping that PEARL will be saved and that the Conservatives will stop sabotaging our environmental research programs.
The petitioners are asking the federal government to restore funding to the Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Science so that PEARL can continue its essential work.