Farmers’ battle for changes in federal legislation on endangered
species and tougher cruelty-to-animals rules moves to the Senate this
fall, after the government used closure to force the bills back onto
Parliament’s agenda.
Despite a vigorous political and procedural campaign by the Canadian
Alliance, the Liberal majority approved a motion that all unfinished
business from the last parliamentary session be introduced into the new
session at the legislative stage it had reached when Parliament
adjourned in June.
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federal government proposed several months ago to increase the compensation rate from 80 to 90 per cent and double the maximum payment from $3 million to $6 million
It means species-at-risk and cruelty-to-animals bills are deemed to
have been approved by the House of Commons and now are in the Senate,
where opponents will have their last chance to voice objections when
committee hearings are called this fall.
In the House of Commons, the Alliance argued the two bills should not
be reintroduced because they are flawed.
Deputy Alliance leader Grant Hill denounced the species-at-risk bill
because it doesn’t guarantee land owners “fair market compensation” if
their land becomes habitat for a protected species.
Environment minister David Anderson has insisted that while some
compensation will be paid, it is too early to decide how much. He said
several years of experience will be needed to decide what is fair and
practical.
The Alliance, with the support of most farm organizations, also took
aim at a proposal to toughen the Criminal Code’s animal cruelty
provisions.
Alliance justice critic Vic Toews, a former Manitoba attorney general,
said the government has refused to accept a simple wording change
making it clear farmers doing normal farm practices would be protected.
