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Federal Bill to End Elephant and Great Ape Captivity Referred to Committee

Bill S-15, sponsored by Senator Marty Klyne, has advanced to the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs after completing second reading. During the debate on March 19, Senator Chantal Petitclerc voiced her support for the bill, stressing the importance of updating our laws to reflect current scientific understanding of animal suffering in captivity, and changing societal attitudes towards such practices. Critics of the bill, including Senator Claude Carignan and Senator Donald Neil Plett, Leader of the Opposition, criticized the bill as frivolous, arguing that it diverts attention from pressing national issues, such as economic struggles, crime rates, healthcare, and infrastructure. Plett also raised concerns that the bill's constraints could impede conservation efforts, despite ample evidence suggesting most zoos contribute minimally to conservation endeavours. Despite opposition, Plett supported sending the bill to committee for further study.

UN Climate Crisis Roadmap Criticized for Ignoring Meat Reduction

In a critique published in the journal Nature Food, academic experts are challenging the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) new climate crisis roadmap for neglecting meat reduction strategies and alternative proteins like plant-based meat. They express concern over the roadmap's lack of transparency in selecting the list of supported actions, arguing that it hampers any assessment of the roadmap's recommendations against existing scientific evidence which consistently highlights the benefits of reducing meat consumption. This follows several allegations of censorship regarding livestock's climate impact by former FAO officials. Cleo Verkuijl, one of the authors of the critique, stated: “It’s very striking: the FAO doesn’t include one of the clearest interventions that would help meet both environmental and health targets.”

Report Challenges Manure Biogas as Climate Solution

A new report by Friends of the Earth U.S. and Socially Responsible Agriculture Project challenges the effectiveness of manure biogas in reducing methane emissions. The report reveals how investments in manure biogas entrench polluting systems of industrial animal agriculture and fossil fuel energy, hindering efforts to meet climate targets. Findings suggest that dairy operations with anaerobic digesters are more likely to increase herd sizes, exacerbating climate and environmental justice harms. Policy recommendations emphasize redirecting resources to cost-effective methane reduction solutions and transitioning away from factory farming and fossil fuels.

Senate Debates Continue Over Federal Bill to Ban Great Ape and Elephant Captivity

During second reading debates on Bill S-15, sponsored by Senator Marty Klyne, Senator René Cormier voiced support for the legislation, labeling the captivity and breeding of elephants and great apes for entertainment as animal cruelty. He referenced a letter from six law professors affirming the bill's constitutionality, organized by Professor Angela Fernandez and Krystal-Anne Roussel, Research Associate in Animal Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Toronto. Senator Cormier concluded his speech by saying: “We need to acknowledge that the human race is not superior to the natural world around us. Perhaps the committee could study this question within the bill or in another context.”

UN Report Highlights Human Activity Threatening Migratory Species Survival

The first-ever State of the World’s Migratory Species report, launched by the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS) of Wild Animals, warns that over one-fifth of migratory species such as birds and fish face extinction due to human activities. While some species show improvement, 44 percent are declining, with 22 percent facing extinction. The report reveals that nearly all CMS-listed fish are at risk. Despite positive conservation efforts, 399 at-risk species remain unprotected. The report's findings emphasize the critical role of international cooperation in safeguarding migratory species. The report was released at the CMS wildlife conservation conference (COP14) in Uzbekistan, a region home to many migratory species, setting the stage for crucial discussions on global biodiversity.

Bill Introduced to Remove Plastic from List of Toxic Substances

Conservative Member of Parliament Corey Tochor introduced Bill C-380 on February 12, 2024, aiming to remove plastic manufactured items (PMI) from the List of Toxic Substances under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA). The move follows a November 2023 decision of the Federal Court, which ruled that the Government of Canada exceeded its authority by designating PMI as “toxic” under CEPA in 2021. The case, brought by Canada's major plastic-producing companies known as the Responsible Plastic Use Coalition and supported by the the provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta, sought to remove the toxic listing. Animal Justice intervened in support of the listing, emphasizing the importance of addressing plastic pollution that annually harms millions of animals.

Jane Goodall Act Dropped from Senate Order Paper

On February 12, 2024, the Senate made a decision to remove Bill S-241, also known as the Jane Goodall Act, from its agenda. This development occurred amid deliberations on Bill S-15, similar legislation introduced by the federal government to protect captive elephants and great apes in Canada. The Senate’s decision followed a procedural intervention by Senator Don Plett during the second reading debate on Bill S-15 on February 8. As Leader of the Opposition and official critic of both Bill S-241 and Bill S-15, Senator Plett raised a point of order, contending that Bill S-15 duplicated the content of Bill S-241, thus violating Senate rules 5-12 and 10-9 (i.e. the same question rule). He urged the withdrawal of either bill, and the Speaker deferred judgment on the issue. This led the sponsor of both bills, Senator Marty Klyne, to move for S-241 to be discharged from committee examination and withdrawn, which was agreed to by the rest of the Senate. Debate on S-15 will proceed, with that bill receiving greater procedural priority than Bill S-241 would have, since different rules apply to government legislation in the Senate and at its committees.

Second Reading Debates Resume on Federal Bill to End Elephant and Great Ape Captivity

Upon its return from winter recess, the Canadian Senate resumed second reading debates on Bill S-15, sponsored by Senator Marty Klyne. Bill S-15 aims to phase out the captivity of elephants and great apes. The bill would prohibit acquiring new animals or breeding existing ones, with exceptions for rescue and conservation efforts. Senator Marc Gold rose to speak in support of the bill, emphasizing S-15 as part of ongoing animal protection efforts in the Senate. Senator Gold noted its continuity with previous initiatives, citing work to prevent animal abuse, Senator MacDonald’s ban on shark fin imports, former Senator Stewart Olsen’s work on animal testing for cosmetics and former Senator Moore’s work on whale and dolphin captivity. He said that when he asked Senator Klyne why we need this bill, his response was simple: “we owe it to the animals.”

UK Parliament to Debate E-Petitions on Animal Testing Alternatives

A Westminster Hall debate is scheduled for February 19, 2024, focusing on two e-petitions related to animal testing and non-animal research methods in the United Kingdom. The Petitions Committee selected the topic, to be opened by Member of Parliament Elliot Colburn. The debated e-petitions include one urging the UK government to prioritize non-animal methods (NAMs) in toxicity tests and another calling for a ban on using dogs for testing and research purposes in the UK. These petitions advocate for diverting funding, evolving policies, and establishing clear pathways to validate NAMs while emphasizing their superior human relevance compared to animal testing data.

Ontario Updates Species at Risk List in Response to COSSARO’s 2022 Annual Report

The Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks amended the Species at Risk in Ontario (SARO) List regulation (Ontario Regulation 230/08) to reflect new species at risk classifications set out in the 2022 Annual Report of the Committee on the Status of Species at Risk in Ontario, as required by the Endangered Species Act, 2007. The SARO List has been updated to include six new species, changes to the status of four already listed species, and the removal of the Bald Eagle, which had been classified as of special concern, because COSSARO determined that the species is not at risk.