By Derek Rumboldt-deLouche | Director, Resource Development and Member Services
Just before the Christmas break Calgary Conservative MP Michelle Rempel introduced a private member’s bill to expand the criminal code definition of bestiality as "any contact by a person, for a sexual purpose, with an animal”.It's time to close the loopholes in Canada's laws when it comes to bestiality, says Rempel.
Bestiality and animal welfare have been linked since a controversial Supreme Court of Canada decision in June 2016 which ruled 6-1 that bestiality is only illegal if it involves acts of penetration. This horrifying loophole has remained open for 16 months while waiting for Parliament to take action to create a broader definition of bestiality under the Criminal Code of Canada. Canada’s animals are open to sexual exploitation unless parliament acts.
CFHS continues to work with the office of the Minister of Justice and we are told that the department and the minister are supportive of the development of a new code. CFHS is also proposing the federal government deal with animal fighting as well at the same time.
Last year, Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith introduced Bill C-246 which would have been the most significant modernization of the laws affecting Canada’s animals. The Bill didn’t make it through the House of Commons, turned down in favour of more consultation blatantly ignoring the fact that this Bill emerged out of a Parliamentary review of animal cruelty in Canada and has been debated for almost 20 years. This consultation has still not been scheduled or defined.
The government also had an opportunity to make this change when new legislation was introduced to clean up Canada’s Criminal Code and remove so called ‘Zombie Laws’ or outdated laws, duplications and inconsistent language. The publishing, distribution or sale of any comics that show people committing crimes is no longer banned in Canada but animals can be sexually abused and willfully mistreated.
There is a strong and sustained will on the part of the Canadian people to see that justice be done for animals in this country. If we all work together we are optimistic the change that animals need will be possible.
We hope we can count on your support in 2018 to ensure we can make these changes occur.
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