News
Oct 6, 2008.
Here’s a letter from Jack Layton to refresh our memories of what happened earlier this year and why we should vote for the NDP.
Thank you for your recent email opposing Bill S-203, An Act to amend the
Criminal Code (cruelty to animals). The federal NDP supports
strengthening provisions of the Cruelty to Animals Section of the
Criminal Code of Canada to discourage violence and cruelty against
animals and to punish those responsible for such acts.
Regrettably, Harper’s Conservatives and Dion’s Liberals have teamed up
once again. This time they are blocking efforts to modernize Canada’s
19th-century animal cruelty law.
For years, Parliament has been trying to change the law to reflect our
Canadian values. This includes closing loopholes that shield abusers,
stopping those who profit from animal fights, taking animals out of
property law, and protecting wild and stray animals.
All those efforts are at risk. The Conservative government and Liberal
opposition have abandoned a promising bill (C-373) which had with strong
public support. Instead, they are lining up behind Bill S-203-a weak
bill slipped in through the undemocratic Senate-and they’re blocking
every NDP effort to amend it.
I am sure you will agree that Bill S-203 is a trick. It’s designed to
bury this issue by creating an illusion of progress. How? This bill
increases penalties for some existing offences. Yet, it does nothing to
fix the 115-year-old loopholes that protect abusers from prosecution in
the first place.
What can you do? Alongside every animal protection agency in the
country, you can tell the old-line parties to get serious about animal
protection-and kill Bill S-203:
- Rob Nicholson, Conservative Justice Minister: Nicholson.R@parl.gc.ca /
613-995-1547
- Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal Justice Critic: Leblanc.D@parl.gc.ca /
613-992-1020
Looking forward, the NDP will continue to support meaningful legislative
initiatives that provide real protection for animals. The abuse of any
vulnerable creature, human or otherwise, is something that we should all
take seriously.
Again, thanks for your interest in this important matter. Feel free to
pass along this email to your contacts. All the best.
Sincerely,
Jack Layton, MP (Toronto-Danforth)
Leader, Canada’s New Democrats
April 9, 2008
Ineffective cruelty bill passes House but fails animals
OTTAWA – Senate Bill S-203 on animal cruelty was passed by the House of Commons, but has failed to bring about any meaningful changes to protect animals, said MP Mark Holland today.
The Conservative government mustered enough support among MPs to pass the controversial Senate private member’s bill on animal cruelty. Many Opposition MPs joined Liberal MP Mark Holland in voting against S-203 because it maintains the status quo whereby the majority of known perpetrators of serious animal abuse are unable to be successfully tried and convicted.
“S-203 advances one thing only, increased penalties,” said Holland. “Under our laws it is nearly impossible to prosecute perpetrators of animal cruelty crimes – Bill S-203 will do nothing to change the fact that less than one percent of all animal cruelty cases result in successful convictions.”
Recognizing the need to update this country’s 19th century animal cruelty laws, the Department of Justice has spent the last decade working on this issue. Holland points out that while the Harper government has chosen to blatantly disregard this work, the previous Liberal government presented several bills on this issue, including Bill C-50 which died when the 2005 federal election was called. Bill C-50, and its predecessors, was a product of exhaustive consultations with the legal community, with Parliamentarians and Canadians on both sides of the issue, including animal welfare and animal use industry groups.
In October 2006, Holland tabled his own private member’s bill C-373, identical to the former Liberal government’s Bill C-50. Bill C-373 is supported by all respected animal welfare groups, and hundreds of thousands of Canadians who support meaningful reform. Bill C-373 also enjoys the support of the majority of opposition MPs in the House of Commons, yet without government backing, few bills advance and fewer still pass.
Remarked Holland, “This government has shown their lack of commitment to passing effective animal cruelty legislation by supporting Bill S-203. Clearly, this task will have to wait until Canadians elect a new Liberal government.”
Over 200,000 Canadians have signed petitions supporting effective animal cruelty legislation such as C-373 and more than 10,000 people are members of a Facebook group devoted to this issue.
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For further information:
Office of Mark Holland, M.P., Ajax-Pickering
(613) 995-8614
QUEEN WALDORF SUPPORTERS OUTRAGED OVER MPs VOTE
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