STILL NO SAFE PLACE FOR CANADA’S ANIMALS

I think this letter speaks for itself. I wrote earlier about the issues underlying the act to amend the Criminal Code of Canada to protect animals from cruelty — the first such act in over a century. Our worst fears have been realized. As we successfully lobbied our elected MPs to pass the bill, the pressure groups — the hunting lobby, gun rights groups, religious groups that consider it their ‘god-given’ right to abuse and to kill animals cruelly, and factory farmers and research laboratories who don’t want any public scrutiny of, or liability for, their practices — were busy lobbying the unelected Senate to block the bill entirely.

If you want to know more about the issues, you can find it here. If you’re a Canadian, I’d urge you to write, phone or fax the Prime Minister (Rt. Honourable Jean ChrÈtien, Prime Minister of Canada, Parliament Buildings Ottawa, ON, K1A 0A4, Phone: 613-992-4211, Fax: 613-941-6900) before the house resumes business in two weeks, to urge him to intervene with the Senate (the overwhelming majority of which are members of his party) to break the deadlock and get the bill passed.

August 25, 2003

Dear Prime Minister,

Only you can break the Bill C-10(b) deadlock!

I am writing with an urgent request for your assistance with Bill C-10(b). The fate of the Bill – the animal cruelty amendments to the Criminal Code – hangs in the balance.
As of June 19th, the House of Commons and the Senate are deadlocked on the Bill. Under the constitution, if the Senate does not agree to the Commons’ version, Bill C-10(b) will die and the animals will be denied legal protection from cruelty.

Prime Minister, your government has worked hard to make sure the Bill becomes law. Only you can break the deadlock by persuading the Liberal Senators, who are in the majority, to pass Bill C-10(b).

I am asking you to personally intervene and to make sure that the proposed amendments and increased penalties are reaffirmed by Parliament and passed by the Senate.

Parliament acted with compassion by passing Bill C-10(b) in June. Everyone, except the Senate, now wants Bill C-10(b) passed, including the Members of Parliament who once opposed it.

By talking to Liberal Senators and encouraging them to support the Bill as approved by the House of Commons, you will make a real difference for all those animals who are subjected to cruelty.

Sincerely,
Dave Pollard