Mr. Speaker, the next petition I have is from Canadians across the country who are concerned about human rights abuses around the world. In particular, they note the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom that pointed out that various actors are supporting and enforcing sectarian policies in India to establish India as a Hindu state.
The petitioners say that Christians in India are being targeted by extremists vandalizing their churches, attacking church workers and threatening or humiliating congregations. They also wanted to point out crimes against the Dalit groups, including Dalit women and girls who are increasingly facing crime in India. The petitioners call on the Indian government and the Canadian government to work together to bring this kind of persecution to an end. They also wanted to point out Indian Muslims are also at risk of assault and sexual violence in India.
The petitioners ask that the government ensure that any trade deal that we may be pursuing with India be premised upon mandatory human rights positions, that extremists be sanctioned and that the government promote a respectful human rights dialogue between Canada and India.