Debates of Jan. 28th, 2026

Religious Freedom

[Brad Vis, Conservative, Mission—Matsqui—Abbotsford, BC]

Madam Speaker, on behalf of Mission—Matsqui—Abbotsford, I would like to present a petition about Bill C-9. The Liberal-Bloc amendment to Bill C-9, passed at the justice committee, would remove the good-faith religious defence clause from the Criminal Code of Canada. Bill C-9 would allow the state to prosecute people who express deeply held religious beliefs the government finds offensive.

Therefore the petitioners are asking the Government of Canada to withdraw Bill C-9, protect religious freedom, uphold the right to read and share sacred texts, and prevent government intrusion into faith.

Medical Assistance in Dying

[Brad Vis, Conservative, Mission—Matsqui—Abbotsford, BC]

Madam Speaker, the second petition I would like to present today is on behalf of residents of Mission—Matsqui—Abbotsford who are deeply concerned about the proposed expansion of medical assistance in dying to individuals whose sole underlying condition is a mental illness.

My constituents fear that expanding MAID in this way risks normalizing suicide as a response to mental illness. They believe that Canada should instead prioritize and strengthen mental health supports.

Taxation

[Brad Vis, Conservative, Mission—Matsqui—Abbotsford, BC]

Madam Speaker, the third petition I would like to present today is about GST and HST in the context of physical education, specifically dance education, which provides significant physical, mental and emotional health benefits, including improved fitness, self-confidence and resilience, contributing to the overall well-being of Canadians.

The petitioning Canadians are calling on the Government of Canada to remove GST from instructional dance classes that meet formal educational criteria and align with the existing GST exemption for music instruction.

Public Safety

[Brad Vis, Conservative, Mission—Matsqui—Abbotsford, BC]

Madam Speaker, the last petition I would like to present today is on behalf of citizens of Abbotsford, in honour of Darshan Sahsi, who lost his life a few months ago. These residents are calling upon the Government of Canada to reinforce the process of public reporting so Canadians can clearly see how federal, provincial and local governments are working together to prevent further increases in violent and organized crime.

It is always a pleasure to rise and to present petitions constructively.

Falun Gong

[Kerry Diotte, Conservative, Edmonton Griesbach, AB]

Madam Speaker, today I rise to present a petition signed by my constituents in Edmonton Griesbach. This petition highlights the 26-year persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China. My constituents say this persecution has included torture, killings and forced organ harvesting. The petitioners call on the federal government to take urgent action to end these abuses and protect a community targeted by foreign repression.

I am pleased to bring this critical matter forward.

Bangladesh

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Madam Speaker, I rise to present petition e-6827.

In the context of the forthcoming elections in Bangladesh, the petitioners call on the Government of Canada to call for cessation of and accountability for human rights violations, political persecution, religiously motivated violence, illegal detentions and extrajudicial killings. The petitioners are asking for internationally monitored free and fair elections with the participation of all political parties. Finally, petitioners call on Canada to support diplomatic and multilateral efforts to restore peace, democratic governance and rule of law in Bangladesh.

Religious Freedom

[Tamara Kronis, Conservative, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

Madam Speaker, I rise to present a petition from Canadians concerned about Bill C-9. Faith, as we know, is a matter of conscience, and the petitioners are worried that the state is interfering with their religious texts and teachings, will impinge on religious freedom and lead to government overreach in matters of faith. They are calling on the House to prevent government interference in faith, religious belief and practice.

[Helena Konanz, Conservative, Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC]

Madam Speaker, I am presenting a petition on behalf of Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay. Petitioners are saying that they have a right to free speech and a right to religion and freedom of expression. They are concerned that the amendments to Bill C-9 presented by the Liberals and the Bloc would be used to criminalize passages from the Torah, the Quran and the Bible. They are asking the government to uphold the right to read and share these sacred texts.

The Environment

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

Madam Speaker, I am honoured today to present petition e-6795, which is sponsored by Chloe Dubois from Ocean Legacy Foundation. The petition has been signed by 659 Canadians who are deeply concerned about ghost gear: abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear that is among the deadliest sources of plastic pollution. They are concerned that the Liberal government killed this very important program.

Petitioners note that ghost gear kills fish, marine animals and species like wild salmon, seabirds and turtles; damages habitats; and creates microplastics and even hazards for navigation and active harvesters, which hurts coastal communities, our way of life and our economy.

They point out that the dedicated funding for retrieval, prevention, repair and recycling works, creating skilled jobs and partnerships with indigenous communities, small businesses, coastal people, fishers, harbour authorities and recyclers, especially in rural and remote areas.

Petitioners are calling for the government to reinstate and expand a permanent multi-year ghost gear fund with streams for rapid retrieval response, prevention and innovation, including gear marking and tracking; whalesafe and ropeless pilots; end-of-life management, repair and recycling; community capacity; and indigenous guardian programs.

Housing

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Madam Speaker, I rise today to present a petition of deep concern to many constituents. As Canadians from coast to coast know, we have a housing crisis.

The petitioners call on the Government of Canada to expedite and focus on immediate help for people who cannot afford to get a roof over their head, particularly by getting rid of real estate investment trusts and corporate ownership of housing units as investment properties. They also call on the government to focus on more support for co-op housing and other forms of more accessible shared housing arrangements.

Religious Freedom

[Connie Cody, Conservative, Cambridge, ON]

Madam Speaker, I rise today to present a petition on behalf of Canadians who call on the government to withdraw Bill C-9.

Canadians feel that religion is under attack, and they ask the government to respect and protect religious freedom and freedom of speech as fundamental rights that Canadians expect Parliament to uphold, as the state has no place in the religious texts or teachings of any faith community.

[Fred Davies, Conservative, Niagara South, ON]

Madam Speaker, I rise to present a petition about Bill C-9.

Canadians are concerned about the erosion of religious freedoms, as contained in the legislation. They are also concerned that governments are intruding on faith. These petitioners are calling for the withdrawal of Bill C-9, and I am pleased to present these views on behalf of the many proud Canadians who signed.

[Jacob Mantle, Conservative, York—Durham, ON]

Madam Speaker, I am presenting a petition from concerned Canadians today. They are concerned about the Liberal government's assault on freedom of expression and freedom of religion contained in Bill C-9, particularly the Bloc and Liberal amendment to remove protections for people of faith to have open discussions about truth in this country.

The petitioners remind the government that it has no place policing the religious texts of Canadians of faith, and they ask that the government withdraw Bill C-9.

Medical Assistance in Dying

[Tamara Jansen, Conservative, Cloverdale—Langley City, BC]

Madam Speaker, I rise today to present two petitions. The first is from Canadians who are profoundly concerned about the government's plan to expand medical assistance in dying to people whose sole underlying condition is a mental illness. The petitioners make their position clear. They state that mental illness is by nature treatable and recovery is possible. They warn that expanding MAID in these circumstances risks normalizing the idea that people struggling with mental illness should be offered assisted dying instead of suicide prevention treatment.

Therefore the petitioners call upon Parliament to adopt Bill C-218, ensuring that mental illness is not classified as a grievous and irremediable condition for the purposes of MAID.

Religious Freedom

[Tamara Jansen, Conservative, Cloverdale—Langley City, BC]

Madam Speaker, the second petition is from Canadians who are expressing great concern about the assault on religious freedom and freedom of expression contained in Bill C-9, which would remove the long-standing good-faith safeguards for religious expression, raising the risk that Canadians could face investigation for expressing sincerely held beliefs on a religious subject or for citing certain religious texts. The petitioners remind the government, and particularly the Liberal members and Bloc members, that freedom of religion and freedom of expression are listed as fundamental freedoms in our charter.

Therefore the petitioners ask the government to withdraw Bill C-9 and protect the freedom of religion for all Canadians so they can discuss their faith and share their religious texts in the public square without fear of government investigation.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong, ON]

Madam Speaker, I am presenting a petition today from constituents who are concerned about the Liberal-Bloc amendment to Bill C-9 passed at the justice committee. The amendment would remove the good-faith religious defence clause from the Criminal Code of Canada, allowing the government to criminalize passages from the Bible, the Quran, the Torah and other sacred texts, and resulting in punishment of up to two years in prison.

Petitioners are calling on the government to withdraw Bill C-9 and to protect religious freedom, uphold the right to read and share sacred texts, and prevent government intrusion into their faith.

Farmland in Clearview Township

[Terry Dowdall, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise to present a petition from the great residents of Simcoe—Grey and, more specifically, Clearview Township. This will be the first of many petitions.

The Department of National Defence has purchased 700-plus acres of prime farmland overlapping the Minesing Wetlands to build a preliminary Arctic over-the-horizon radar system in Clearview Township. DND has now sent emails to many landowners surrounding it, and it wants an additional 2,600 acres of prime farmland to create this site.

The petitioning citizens of Canada call upon the Government of Canada to stop the building of any over-the-horizon site on the already purchased property, prevent future acquisitions of the prime farmland and building of any over-the-horizon site on the prime farmland in Clearview Township, and register the previously purchased property with the Ontario Farmland Trust to prepare its agricultural status.

People are concerned and worried; they do not want their land to be expropriated. Many of the townships in the area are supporting this.

Air Travel to India

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure for me to rise today to present a petition from people in Winnipeg North, in particular, who emphasize that Canada's Indo-Canadian community has grown and has a high interest in being able to travel to India.

Petitioners are asking to increase the number of international flights that go directly from Canada, and in particular from Winnipeg, to Europe. Whether it is the government or the airport authorities, petitioners are asking for them to do what they can to increase the number of international flights from Canada.

Religious Freedom

[Andrew Lawton, Conservative, Elgin—St. Thomas—London South, ON]

Madam Speaker, it is a great privilege to rise on behalf of Canadians, many of them in my riding, raising very severe concerns with the way that the Liberal government is, through Bill C-9, attacking the religious freedoms of Canadians.

The petitioners are concerned in particular about the amendment adopted by Liberal members of Parliament that would remove long-standing protections for religious speech.

Petitioners are calling on the government to withdraw the divisive and toxic Bill C-9 to stand up for the fundamental freedoms of Canadians.

Questions on the Order Paper

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Madam Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Alexandra Mendès), Alexandra Mendes]

Is it agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Alexandra Mendès), Alexandra Mendes]

[For text of questions and responses, see Written Questions website]

Motions for Papers

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Madam Speaker, I ask that all notices of motions for the production of papers also be allowed to stand.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Alexandra Mendès), Alexandra Mendes]

Is that agreed?