Petition Campaign to Reverse the AAFC Research Cuts!

This paper petition is a simple and effective way to have an impact on the government. Anyone can download and print the petition, get 25 signatures and send it to an MP, who has a duty to present it in Parliament. The government needs to hear from individual Canadians. What better proof that people care than thousands of hand-written signatures on hundreds of paper petitions in the hands of MPs across the country!

The petition briefly states why we are opposed to the AAFC cuts and calls on the government to reverse them.

Today, when we do so much online, the paper petition also creates an opportunity to talk about the impacts of the cuts  in person and connect with people in our communities at events and places where people gather, and to get support from  local businesses willing to provide space to leave a petition where people can read it it and easily sign.

Many of us are farmers, and we all eat: cutting agriculture research jobs and closing research stations and farms affect us all. Send us an email at nfu@nfu.ca with the subject “AAFC Cuts Petition” to let us know which MPs you send signed petitions to. We will check the Parliamentary website to see when they are presented.

Here’s how:

Click here to download the petition, print and make copies. Once you have at least 25 signatures (two full pages), mail the signed petitions to a federal Member of Parliament and ask them to present the petition in Parliament. You can continue collecting signatures and send batches with 25 or more signatures to the same MP or other MPs. The more the better! You can use your postal code to find your MP’s name and constituency office address here. You can send mail to any MP postage-free. The address is:

[Name of MP]
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
K1A 0A6

MPs are legally required to pay attention to properly written paper petitions signed by voters, and are expected to present petitions in the House of Commons on behalf of constituents even if they do not personally support the petition. Paper-based petitions are particularly effective when the MPs know that voters in their own ridings are taking the time and effort to bring signed petitions forward.

Here is more information about signatures and addresses from the federal government website:

  • A petition must contain a minimum of 25 valid signatures with addresses.
  • A petition should contain signatures of residents of Canada only. 
  • There is no minimum age requirement for anyone signing a petition.
  • Each petitioner must sign, not print, his or her own name directly on the petition and must not sign for anyone else. If a petitioner cannot sign because of illness or a disability, this must be noted on the petition and the note signed by a witness.
  • A petition must contain original signatures written directly on the document and not pasted, taped, photocopied or otherwise transferred to it.
  • Any address format on a paper petition is acceptable as long as it establishes the signatory resides in Canada (city, province, or postal code). Someone who does not have a fixed address must state it on the petition.