The Liberal government’s proposed cruelty-to-animals legislation has
come under fierce opposition attack in the House of Commons, even as
many rural Liberal MPs were concluding that they will support the bill
despite earlier reservations.
Meanwhile, animal lovers with dogs in tow rallied on Parliament Hill
March 21 in favour of the legislation, organized by the International
Fund for Animal Welfare.
And one of the more powerful animal rights groups in the country put
its supporters on high alert, vowing to work in the next election for
Read Also
Above average temperatures expected
July was a cooler than average month right across the Prairies, with most places coming in just slightly below average.
Liberals who support the bill and to work against opposition MPs who
oppose it.
“I can’t overstate the importance of this change,” Animal Alliance of
Canada director Liz White wrote to members.
“This elevation of animals in our moral and legal view is
precedent-setting and will have far-reaching effects. We’ll make sure
of that.”
At the centre of the political furor is a government proposal to
toughen Criminal Code penalties for those who willfully or recklessly
harm animals.
The proposals are now before the House of Commons.
Farmers, while agreeing with the principles of tougher cruelty
penalties, have worried that the bill could leave regular farming
practices open to costly court challenges from animal rights activists.
In the Commons March 20, Canadian Alliance and Progressive Conservative
MPs launched a vigorous rhetorical assault.
Southern Saskatchewan MP Roy Bailey called it “unofficially a declared
war on agriculture in every province of Canada.” He said it could lead
to the outlawing of castration, dehorning or chicken cages.
Nova Scotia Tory Gerald Keddy agreed. “The bill clearly pits rural
Canada against urban Canada.”
Bailey predicted the Liberal government will have trouble even with its
own rural caucus. “The rural caucus on that side of the House cannot
with good conscience ever stand up and vote for this bill.”
Some Liberals once thought that too but increasingly, rural Liberal MPs
say they have been convinced the bill does not open farmers to
frivolous or costly lawsuits. They said last week they will vote for
the bill, ensuring its passage.
A key promise from the justice department is that any attempt to charge
a farmer with cruelty will have to be vetted and approved by a crown
prosecutor.
“There is a system in place that allows a pre-study of a case before a
judge and a crown attorney before a farmer has to face anything,” said
Ontario MP Bob Speller, chair of the prime minister’s task force on
agriculture. “So with those assurances, I would say the overwhelming
majority of rural members will be able to support this bill.”
Prince Edward Island Liberal Wayne Easter agreed. “This should take any
frivolous actions out of the system so the farmer himself does not have
to pay for that or be spending time in court. That allays a lot of the
concerns.”
On the lawn of Parliament Hill, IFAW national director Rick Smith
accused parliamentary opponents of the bill of using it “as a stalking
horse for opposition to gun control.”
He won support from New Democrat Bill Blaikie for his view. “It is time
we moved on this bill,” said the veteran New Democrat.
In her message to members, Animal Alliance director White said
opposition to the bill is coming from “the fur trade, researchers,
hunters, agribusiness – all those who profit or take pleasure in the
harming of animals.”
