Sopuck concerned with Liberal MP’s animal rights bill

Ottawa, ON – Today Robert Sopuck, Member of Parliament for Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa and the Official Opposition Critic for Wildlife Conservation and Parks Canada, is concerned with a Liberal Member of Parliament’s bill that would drastically change the status of animals in Canada.

“This bill is fundamentally flawed and dangerous for several reasons,” Sopuck said. “This bill has drastic implications for farmers, ranchers, hunters, anglers, the fur industry, aboriginal communities, pet owners, and the medical research community.”

On February 26, 2016, a Liberal MP tabled Bill C-246. This omnibus bill is poorly drafted and affects a multitude of Canadian laws including the Criminal Code, the Fisheries Act, the Consumer Product Safety Act, and international import laws.

“This bill proposes to move animals out of the property section of the Criminal Code and place them in the public morals section,” said Sopuck. “Its terms are so broad that they could place all animal use in legal jeopardy.”

The Liberal Party has long advocated for legislation that could put Canadian farms and aboriginal communities at risk. This bill is very similar to bills the Liberals attempted to pass over 15 years ago. Each time the Liberals tried, a strong coalition of hunters, farmers, and medical researchers came together to put a stop to it.

“This bill fails to adequately protect legitimate animal use practices,” Sopuck said. “The implications are enormous. Many communities across Canada rely on farming, hunting, trapping, commercial fishing, and angling in their way of life. And medical research has allowed Canadians to live longer, healthier lives. This bill places all of this at risk.”

To read this bill, visit: http://www.parl.gc.ca/LegisInfo/BillDetails.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&billId=8122718

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