C-50

[Animal 0]

31 Oct 2006

Hier, le Premier Ministre Mark Holland a réintroduit le projet de loi C-50 à la chambre des Communes

http://cfhs.ca/

[Animal 0]

News Release

October 30, 2006
For Immediate Release:

Holland launches campaign for animal cruelty bill

Liberal MP Mark Holland today kicked off a campaign to reform Canada's
animal cruelty laws, and he hopes to make it an all-party effort.
Holland today introduced as a private member's bill legislation
identical to the former C-50, a bill that died on the Order Paper when
the January federal election was called. That bill, with some changes,
has been introduced in every parliament since 1999.
"The failure to pass this legislation previously is a national
embarrassment," says Holland. "There were mistakes made on all sides.
The important thing now is that we work together to correct this wrong.
It's not easy to work cooperatively in today's highly partisan minority
government environment, but I intend to give this my best effort."
Holland acknowledges that under the current rules for private members'
bills, his bill has little chance on its own. Instead he will be
reaching out to the public and to MPs and Senators of all parties in an
effort to convince the government to reintroduce it as a government
bill.
An earlier version of the bill was passed several times in the House of
Commons in the spring of 2003, but the bill died as a result of a
deadlock with the Senate, which insisted on several amendments that were
not accepted by the House. The current bill does include some of the
Senate's amendments, and also addresses the issue of traditional
aboriginal hunting rights, which was a sticking point for the Senate.
"This bill has had countless hours of hearings and debates in both
houses, and at various times it has had the support of almost all major
stakeholders," says Holland. "Enormous efforts have been made to balance
the need for protection of animals from cruelty while recognizing the
rights of hunters, anglers, farmers and others who use animals in a
responsible manner in their livelihoods."
Major stakeholder groups reached an agreement in support of the bill in
the fall of 2004, notes Holland. This agreement was shattered, he says,
when a competing bill was introduced in the Senate by Senator John G.
Bryden. That bill, now known as S-213, would bring in tougher penalties
for animal cruelty, but in most other respects it retains Criminal Code
provisions that have changed little since 1892.
"Senator Bryden's bill is nothing but a diversionary tactic on behalf of
some who want to keep the status quo," says Holland. "Animal welfare
organizations oppose it. I will fight it with every ounce of my
strength. I call upon MPs and Senators to stop Senator Bryden's
misguided bill dead in its tracks."
Holland notes that the issue of animal cruelty has come to the forefront
recently with a shocking incident in which Daisy Duke, a lab-border
collie cross in Didsbury, Alberta was tortured and had to be euthanized.
Her owner and a juvenile have been charged.
"The existing law and S-213 aren't adequate to deal with cases like
this," says Holland. "We need to move now to convince the government to
make my bill a government bill with the support of all parties."
- 30 -

For further information:
Richard McGuire, Executive Assistant
Office of Mark Holland, M.P., Ajax-Pickering
(613) 995-8614

* Please see <http://www.markholland.ca/issues/animals.htm> Mark
Holland's issue page about animal cruelty