Dear Premier Campbell:
We are writing to thank you for appointing the Special FOI Committee and to
ask that you accept their recommendation No. 3 from their special report.
As you know Recommendation 3 is as follows:
Recommendation No. 3 - Investigate why the B.C. Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Animals was assigned the dual status of a public body and a
non-profit society in the first place and whether there is a case for
clarifying or even changing its status.
Since the BC SPCA is a public body as well as a non-profit society, I/we
feel that it should be open to public scrutiny and subject to more stringent
government regulations. We ask that you act on this recommendation as soon
as possible.
The committee recognized that the SPCA is an anomaly with a unique
organizational structure. Created under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Act, it is the only non-profit that can investigate and enforce cruelty
legislation. Yet there is little regulation of its activities by the
government. Police, RCMP, and even other non-profits are more strictly
regulated and there seems to be no legitimate reason for the BC SPCA to be
treated any differently.
The BC SPCA has stated publicly that it wants more money from government but
it has never fully filled its reporting requirements under the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals Act, and your government has not ensured it has/does.
There seems to be no limit to the special advantages the BC SPCA has and yet
it continues to ask for even more favours from government. It appears that
the BC SPCA is not satisfied with being able to operate without
accountability or public scrutiny and they are apparently confident that
there will be no restrictions on their operations in the future, despite
committee recommendations to the contrary.
We therefore urge you to order and complete an investigation, and to end the
special status of the BC SPCA. I/we feel that this could be the beginning of
increased accountability and transparency for the BC SPCA and that will
result in better care for the animals of our province and more effective use
of donations in support of that effort.
We thank you in advance for your support of Recommendation No. 3 and look
forward to hearing the results of your government's investigation into this
matter.
Yours truly,
Your name and address
Copies to:
rich.coleman.mla@leg.bc.ca; joyce.murray.mla@leg.bc.ca; geoff.plant.mla@leg.bc.ca; john.vandongen.mla@leg.bc.ca
CC: to FOI Special Review Committee Members
blair.lekstrom.mla@leg.bc.ca; mike.hunter.mla@leg.bc.ca; bill.belsey.mla@leg.bc.ca;
harry.bloy.mla@leg.bc.ca; jeff.bray.mla@leg.bc.ca; tom.christensen.mla@leg.bc.ca;
dave.hayer.mla@leg.bc.ca; ken.johnston.mla@leg.bc.ca; harold.long.mla@leg.bc.ca;
joy.macphail.office@leg.bc.ca; sheila.orr.mla@leg.bc.ca; localmla@uniserve.com;
gillian.trumper.mla@leg.bc.ca; john.wilson.mla@leg.bc.ca