For Immediate Release
February 20, 2009
MP HOLLAND TO CONSERVATIVE MINISTER: LET’S WORK TOGETHER ON REFORMING ANIMAL CRUELTY LAWS
OTTAWA – Liberal MP Mark Holland welcomes Conservative MP Keith Ashfield, a minister in the Harper cabinet, to join him in moving forward effective animal cruelty legislation in Parliament.
“I applaud Minister Ashfield’s recent public statement in support of modernizing Canada’s archaic animal cruelty laws,” said Holland. “I invite him to meet with me to discuss my current bill C-229 on this issue and how we can promote a bipartisan solution to getting needed reforms through.”
Holland is referring to Ashfield’s comments which were in reaction to the recent high-profile case of a New Brunswick man who justified killing five small dogs in his care because they were his property. The case re-ignited debate on reforming the part of the Criminal Code dealing with animal cruelty – including taking it out of the property crimes section – to close loopholes that allow known perpetrators of blatant and horrific abuse walk away from their crimes.
In the previous Parliament, Holland invited Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative government to take his private member’s bill – then numbered C-373 – word for word and expedite it through all legislative stages. The government failed to respond, and instead ensured passage of Senator John Bryden’s “placebo” bill S-203 on animal cruelty – a bill widely criticized by Holland and respected animal welfare groups for increasing penalties without addressing conviction rates.
“The case in New Brunswick is a perfect example of why Bryden’s bill missed the mark,” declared Holland. “stiffer sentences are useless if we can’t convict abusers under our laws.”
“Minister Ashfield’s comments represent a breakthrough – and I hope that after ten years and 4 parliaments Canadians finally will see the passage of effective animal cruelty laws.”
For further information:
Office of Mark Holland, M.P., Ajax-Pickering
(613) 995-8614
Submitted by Nicole Joncas of Teja's Animal Rescue: http://www.tejasanimalrefuge.ca