A vote scheduled for Friday in the House of Commons on federal animal cruelty legislation (Bill S 203) will be critical for people who fish and hunt. S - 203 protects anglers and hunters and other traditional animal uses while significantly increasing fines and penalties for wanton animal abuses.

The US based animal rights groups like the International Fund for Animal Welfare and others are mounting a full scale effort against this legislation. For ten years they have aggressively supported alternative legislation (C-373) which would make it a crime to kill a fish or a deer, even if the animal dies immediately. Extensive legal opinion obtained by CSIA from the firm of Lang Michener confirms these threats to our traditional outdoor heritage activities. A fishing license affords no legal protection for killing a fish.

In recent days the animal rights groups have mounted a last minute Blitz in the press and in Ottawa against S 203 , and against legal protection for fishing and hunting. These are the same groups who led the campaign to ban spring bear hunting in Ontario and they are out to make it a crime to take your kids fishing.

Federal Members of Parliament need to hear TODAY from all of us who value our right to fish. Call your MP's office right now and tell them you vote, and you want them to vote IN FAVOR of Bill S 203. ( number is in your local phone book)

Stand up for our freedom to fish along with the other eight million Canadians who enjoy a day on the water - before the animal rights people make it a crime.

Send us a news tip! | Back to Fishy News