“Backbench
Liberal MPs deceived rural Canadians during the final vote on the animal cruelty
bill.”
Ottawa
– During
Question Period yesterday, Garry Breitkreuz, MP for Yorkton-Melville, exposed a
Liberal deception. “Members
of the Liberal rural caucus used promises of Senate amendments as an excuse to
vote for Bill C-15B in the House of Commons, despite the fact that the bill does
not include protection for responsible animal use.
On June 3, Mr. Murray Calder, MP, Chair of the Liberal Rural and Northern
Caucus issued a press release indicating they would support Senate amendments
that would offer legal protection for responsible animal use in Bill C-15B. Now, we have confirmation that no promises of Senate
amendments were actually made,”
revealed Breitkreuz.
Here’s
the exchange between Breitkreuz and Justice Minister Martin Cauchon in the House
of Commons:
Mr.
Garry Breitkreuz (Yorkton—Melville, Canadian Alliance):
Mr. Speaker, when the cruelty to animals bill was passed by the House, the
Minister of Justice assured ranchers and medical researchers that there would be
amendments in the Senate. Now we find out this was a complete hoax. Senator Joan
Fraser stated, and I would like to quote: I hope it is not breaking
confidence for me to say that I spoke directly with the Minister of Justice and
he assured me that no deal has been struck regarding government amendments.
Who on the Liberal side will apologize to rural Canadians for this
deception?
Hon.
Martin Cauchon (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, what the hon. member is talking about is a bill that we are very
proud of on this side of the House, Bill C-15B. It is there in order to
modernize a section of the criminal code, create a definition of animals as
well, which we did not have, create new offences in that field which is very
important, and increase penalties. On this side of the House we are very proud
of what we are doing in terms of cruelty to animals. Having said that, if there
are amendments that have to take place on the Senate side, it is up to the
Senate to decide.
Mr.
Garry Breitkreuz (Yorkton—Melville, Canadian Alliance):
Mr. Speaker, members of the rural Liberal caucus used false promises as an
excuse to vote for the cruelty to animals bill. They knew full well that there
were no amendments coming. I would like an answer to this question. Does the
government intend on introducing amendments that would prevent animal rights
extremists from attacking responsible animal use, or is the minister still
committed to passing this bill in its current form?
Hon.
Martin Cauchon (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, I just do not understand what the hon. member and his party have
against Bill C-15B. It is a bill which modernizes the provisions of the criminal
code which were essentially outdated. We did not have, believe it or not, in our
criminal code a definition of animal. We had to create new offences as well.
Basically the new provisions that we are going to have with Bill C-15B will put
our country in line with what we are seeing in other countries in the world. Having said that, the bill is on the Senate side. As I said,
if there is an amendment to take place there it will be decided by the Senate
alone.
“We
have been fighting this animal cruelty legislation for more than a year now.
We proposed amendments needed to protect farmers, ranchers, trappers,
hunters and medical researchers from frivolous legal action by extremist animal
rights lobby groups. Every one of
our amendments was voted down by the Liberals.
Finally, the government used closure to ram the bill through the House.
Before the next election, we will make sure that every rural Canadian
knows how the Liberal backbench MPs pulled the wool over their eyes,” promised
Breitkreuz.
-30-