Mr. Speaker, as part of the government's war on history, neither Confederation nor its history are included as permitted themes for the 150th anniversary of Confederation.
The petition I present today has been organized by members of three historical societies: the Williams Lake Museum & Historical Society, Williams Lake being a community whose history dates back to the Confederation era; the Barrhead & District Historical Society in Alberta, which runs the Barrhead Centennial Museum, a museum established in 1967 as a centennial project; and, the North Peace Historical Society, whose museum is located in Centennial Park in Fort St. John, B.C. Historical projects like these were undertaken across Canada to celebrate the centennial of Confederation in 1967.
To help Canadians know and celebrate their history, the petitioners call upon the government to reverse the decision to exclude Confederation as a theme of the 150th anniversary of Confederation, and to pay respect to Canada's history by making Confederation a theme of the 150th anniversary of Confederation.