Mr. Speaker, I rise to present two petitions.
The first petition is signed by folks concerned with the proposed 60-kilometre route for Highway 413. They note that it would cut through 2,000 acres of farmland, 85 waterways, 220 wetlands and the habitats of 29 federally listed threatened and endangered species, which must be protected as per the Fisheries Act and the Species at Risk Act.
The petitioners note a complete absence of meaningful consultation with indigenous communities along the proposed route. They note that a comprehensive federal environmental assessment could mitigate potential environmental harm and ensure sustainable development, and that the federal government has a responsibility to oversee a responsible, predictable and constitutionally robust environmental review.
The petitioners call on the Government of Canada to take several actions. The first is to ensure that the federal government uses every tool available to assess and protect indigenous rights as well as the area impacted by the proposed Highway 413, and to protect the Greenbelt, farmland and natural ecosystems, including identified species at risk.