Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise to present a petition from Canadians committed to advancing peace and human rights, especially given the conflict right now in the Middle East. The petitioners note that Canada pledged itself to these principles with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. They highlight that justice, equality and freedom are essential to preventing conflict while a lack of respect for these rights fuels violence worldwide.
The petitioners further stress that Canada has lost vital civilian-led capacity for research, education and training in peace operations with the closure of the Pearson Peacekeeping Centre. They cite also that the current spending obligations and commitments by the federal government on NATO and military spending should prioritize peacekeeping. Therefore, they call upon the Government of Canada to establish and fund a new centre of excellence for peace and justice to support conflict resolution, diplomacy and peacebuilding for Canadians and the international community.