Mr. Speaker, I rise to table a petition signed by close to 1,500 Canadians from coast to coast to coast. The petition is to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.
The petitioners note that Canada has a moral and legal obligation to uphold international humanitarian law and refugee protections and that the International Court of Justice and United Nations bodies have raised grave concerns about the ongoing genocide and humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank. They further note that Canada has demonstrated its capacity for rapid humanitarian response by processing Ukrainian visas in a matter of days, while Palestinian applications are often delayed for over a year.
The petitioners are asking the government to immediately reduce processing times for family reunification applications from Gaza and the West Bank to reflect the urgency of the humanitarian crisis; to simplify application procedures to ensure accessibility for applicants facing extreme conditions, including displacement, famine and destruction of infrastructure; to provide alternative options for applicants to complete biometrics or other documentation outside of Gaza and the West Bank; and to prioritize the evacuation and reunification of Palestinians in life-threatening circumstances.
Finally, the petitioners urge the government to take real action so that the speed in processing applications meets the guidelines that have been set for Ukrainians.