Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition submitted by Canadian firefighters; it addresses an urgent issue that has an impact on their health and safety. I am grateful that this petition was sponsored by the member for New Westminster—Burnaby; it calls for immediate action to ban PFAS in firefighter gear and firefighting foam. Often, PFAS are man-made chemicals. They are resistant to heat, water and oil, but that durability comes at a cost to firefighters' health. The PFAS can accumulate in their bodies, and they face higher cancer risks than the general population.
Several countries have restricted the use of PFAS, and Canada must follow suit. That is what the petitioners are demanding.