Mr. Speaker, I am presenting a petition today on behalf of the people of Georgina in my riding, specifically the community of Keswick, about a new invasive aquatic plant called water soldier. It was discovered in 2024 by the water soldier working group and the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters. It is a physical threat to human health because of its serrated leaves; it is a threat to our native plant and fish species, and it is a threat to local agriculture because of its proximity to the Holland River.
Therefore, the citizens in my riding are calling on the government to do three things: to identify water soldier as an invasive species under federal law, to nominate a single federal department to take ownership of this issue and to allocate sufficient funding and technical support to the water soldier working group to undertake remediation efforts.