The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) has welcomed the news that Prime Minister Paul Martin and the federal government will likely strengthen the Criminal Code provisions for animal cruelty by ordering the bill, formally known as C-10B, back to the Senate. The Bill has passed Third Reading in the House of Commons three times, only to be amended twice by Canada's appointed Senate and stalled when Parliament prorogued in November. The government is expected to restore fewer than 20 pieces of legislation. Bill C-10B was the first significant amendment to the Criminal Code with respect to animal cruelty since 1892. The bill provided stronger sentencing options for those convicted of animal cruelty, and equal protection for pets, strays, wildlife and farm animals. "After four years of often pointless debate, enough is enough," IFAW Canada Director Sherri Cox said. "While this legislation provides rudimentary protection for animals, it is an important first step towards reflecting Canadians' love for their pets and other animals, and it will give law enforcement officers the tools they need to properly deal with serious crimes of cruelty." If the law is passed, animal abusers would go to jail for up to five years, face substantially increased fines, and could be banned from owning animals for life. "The bill has been passed three times by the House, only to be repeatedly stalled by some in the Senate," Cox said.
