Briefly, the Liberal government last week introduced its fifth version of updated cruelty-to-animals legislation for debate in the House of Commons.
But it, like four earlier versions introduced since 1999, will likely die next week without being enacted when the government falls or an election is called.
“Over the course of many years that animal cruelty amendments have been before Parliament, Canadians have consistently voiced their strong support for legislative change in this area and their expectation that the legislation will be passed without delay,” Ontario Liberal Paul Macklin, parliamentary secretary to the justice minister, said when he launched debate last week. “I urge all members in the House to ensure that occurs as soon as possible.”
Read Also
Farmers urged to be grain-safe this fall
Working around grain bins comes with risk, from farmers falling to drowning in grain: Experts have five tips to help avoid grain-related accidents this harvest.
The latest version of the bill would increase penalties for those convicted of animal cruelty and respond to strong campaigns from humane societies and other animal welfare groups.
However, when the government negotiated with opposition MPs a list of vital bills that will be passed in the days before an expected defeat of the government on Nov. 28, cruelty-to-animals was not among them. The Liberals introduced the legislation May 16 and did not call it for debate until Nov. 14.
Despite assurances by justice minister Irwin Cotler when he introduced the bill that this time all animal industry interests had been covered and there would be no opposition from critics worrying that farmers and trappers could be charged under the legislation, the Conservative opposition continued to oppose the bill.
Conservative MPs suggested amendments would be needed, even though most farm groups have signalled they want to see the bill passed.
“I am from a farming area, I am surrounded by farmers and I am a farmer myself,” said Saskatchewan Conservative David Anderson. “I know that there are concerns in the agricultural community about the implications of the bill. There are also concerns in the hunting community.”
Macklin said the bill is crafted in a way to protect farm and hunter-trapper practices.
“The legislation is not meant to and will not negatively impact on the lawful and humane animal-related industries and these industries have now acknowledged that,” he said. “Of course, animal welfare organizations as well as veterinary associations, police associations and provincial attorneys-general continue to support the legislation wholeheartedly.”
The impending death of the latest attempt to modernize cruelty-to-animals rules will leave Canada with one of the oldest laws in the world. It once was on the cutting edge.
The current Criminal Code provisions were written and approved by Parliament in 1893 when Canada’s fourth prime minister, Sir John Thompson, was in office and had overseen the creation of Canada’s first – and one of the world’s first – cruelty-to-animals bill when he was justice minister the previous year.
Under rules set 112 years ago, the maximum penalty for willful animal cruelty is six months in jail and a maximum fine of $2,000 – a huge sum in 1893 but less of a deterrent now.
