Mr. Speaker, second is petition e-3114.
Atheists are persecuted in several countries by government and the public. Some countries, including Saudi Arabia, label all atheists as terrorists. The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled several times that the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees the right to freedom from religion as much as the right to freedom of religion, yet atheists are denied access to the less complex claims policy of Canada because they are excluded from the list of those who qualify, all of whom are members of a religion.
As over 2,000 Canadians note, this is an urgent matter, because the lives of several atheists are currently in danger while awaiting their refugee hearings, which would be avoided if atheists were included in the less complex claims process.
The petitioners call upon the Minister of Immigration to change the policy regarding less complex claims to include atheists in the list of people eligible for the status, so that they will be treated equally.