The government’s latest attempt to update century-old cruelty-to-animal legislation risks becoming a casualty of a game of political chicken between the Senate and the House of Commons.
The bill is sitting in the Senate with a message from MPs that for the second time they have rejected amendments from the Senate.
Senators, both Liberal and opposition, want to continue the fight and insist the amendments are needed to protect farmers and aboriginal hunters from animal rights harassment.
With the prospect of Parliament adjourning Nov. 7 to await a new prime minister, there may be as few as three weeks left to approve the bill. Prolonged Senate debate or another trip from the Senate to the Commons and back could play out the clock. Senate debate will resume the week of Oct. 20.
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Government Senate leader Sharon Carstairs is pleading for the Senate to concede defeat, or risk being blamed for the bill’s failure.
Saskatchewan Liberal Herb Sparrow challenged her interpretation.
“It will not be the fault of the Senate,” he said. “It will be the fault, if any place, of the House of Commons. Do not tar us with the blame for defeating this bill.”
And last week, Progressive Conservative senator Gerald Beaudoin suggested the bill be once again referred to the committee he chairs on legal and constitutional affairs.
At stake are proposals to toughen and modernize 110-year-old Criminal Code rules on penalties for animal cruelty.
Despite all-party agreement on the principle of tougher cruelty punishments, opponents have worried that wording could challenge normal practices of farmers and hunters.
Most farm groups have said they accept government assurances that the Commons version of the bill will not leave farmers open to frivolous prosecutions.
