Mr. Speaker, I have a petition signed by literally tens of thousands of Canadians who call upon the House of Commons and Parliament to recognize that asbestos is the greatest industrial killer the world has ever known. In fact, they point out that more Canadians now die from asbestos than all other industrial or occupational causes combined.
Therefore, these petitioners are calling upon the Government of Canada to ban asbestos in all its forms; to begin a nationwide abatement program for homeowners and property owners who may have asbestos in their properties; and to stop blocking international health and safety conventions designed to protect workers from asbestos, such as the Rotterdam Convention.