Agriculture Committee on April 9th, 2024

[The Chair, Liberal, Kody Blois]

I call the meeting to order.

Colleagues, we're going to get started.

Welcome to meeting number 97 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food.

I'll start with a few reminders.

This committee meeting is taking place in a hybrid format. The proceedings will be made available via the House of Commons website. As you know, the webcast will always show the person speaking, rather than the entirety of the committee, and screenshots are not permitted.

Colleagues, pursuant to the order of reference of Wednesday, January 31, 2024, and the motion adopted by the committee on Thursday, February 8, 2024, the committee is resuming its consideration of Bill C-355, an act to prohibit the export by air of horses for slaughter and to make related amendments to certain acts.

We have four witnesses on today's panel, so I am going to be moving quickly, colleagues, and I will be very tight on the time. Usually I'm quite liberal, but I'll be a little conservative today, I guess.

From the Air Line Pilots Association, International, appearing by video conference, we have Captain Tim Perry. Thank you for being here, Mr. Perry.

From the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition, we have Sinikka Crosland, who is the president. Welcome.

From the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, we have Dr. Trevor Lawson. I believe he's a constituent of mine as well, so it's great to see you, Dr. Lawson.

From the Humane Society International/Canada, we have Ewa Demianowicz. We look forward to having your testimony.

You're joined by Dr. Nicholas Dodman, professor emeritus at Tufts University. He's joining us by video conference.

As you can see, colleagues, there are lots of witnesses and there will be great testimony here today.

I'd like to welcome Mr. MacDonald from Avalon, who's subbing in today on behalf of Mr. Drouin. We also have Mr. Dalton on behalf of Mr. Barlow.

Without further ado, I'm going to get right to it. We'll have five-minute opening remarks from each organization or witness.

Mr. Perry, from the Air Line Pilots Association, you have up to five minutes. It's over to you.

[Captain Tim Perry, President, ALPA Canada, Air Line Pilots Association, International]

Thank you very much, Chair.

Good morning. My name is Tim Perry. I am a professional pilot and have been for over 21 years. I'm a 737 captain at WestJet Airlines. I am currently the president of ALPA Canada, which is the Canadian division of the Air Line Pilots Association, International.

I am pleased to appear before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food today on behalf of our members in Canada regarding Bill C-355.

By way of a brief introduction, the Air Line Pilots Association is the world's largest airline pilot union and non-governmental safety organization. ALPA Canada represents 90% of the professional pilot workforce in Canada. They are employed by 22 airlines across the country.

ALPA provides critical services to its members, including airline safety, security, pilot assistance and labour representation.

I'd like to begin by stating that the primary responsibility of the pilot in command of an aircraft is the safe operation of that aircraft before takeoff, in flight and after landing.

ALPA Canada believes that Bill C-355 does not recognize this. As a result, it will negatively impact our members by putting an unnecessary and redundant obligation on them, which is accompanied by excessive penalties if in contravention of the proposed legislation.

Further, we maintain that it is improper to place any additional responsibilities on a pilot when the pilots' responsibilities are already clearly defined in the Canadian aviation regulations and the Aeronautics Act.

We also believe that all responsibilities relating to the required written declaration in the proposed legislation should be the sole responsibility of the chief officer of customs of the airport, as identified in the bill.

For the reasons stated above, ALPA Canada suggests that Bill C-355 be amended in the following ways.

In clause 4, under “Prohibitions” and "Copy of declaration”, we request that paragraph 4(2)(a), which states, “the pilot in command or the operator of the aircraft”, be removed in its entirety.

In subclause 4(3), “No departure without declaration”, paragraph 4(3)(b), which states, “for a person in charge of the aircraft to take the aircraft on its flight”, should also be removed.

We are happy to provide these comments to the clerk.

We maintain that paragraphs 4(2)(a) and 4(3)(b) are unnecessary and put additional responsibilities on the pilot, who should remain focused solely on the safety and the operation of the flight, and this should remain the case.

Before I conclude my remarks, I would also like to take the opportunity to state that it is always our expectation that when legislation or regulations are being considered specifically with respect to the aviation industry, our members and potentially to aviation safety, there should be outreach or consultation with our association. In this case, that did not occur.

Thank you very much. I'm happy to take your questions.

[The Chair, Liberal, Kody Blois]

Thank you very much, Captain Perry.

We'll now turn to the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition and Ms. Crosland. It's over to you for up to five minutes.

[Sinikka Crosland, President, Canadian Horse Defence Coalition]

Thank you, Mr. Chair and members of the committee, for inviting me to appear before you today on behalf of the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition.

Horse welfare is a topic of great interest to me. I thank MP Tim Louis for introducing Bill C-355 to end the export of live horses by air for slaughter.

My own involvement with horses spans a period of 35 years, during which time my family and I have resided in rural areas of B.C. Currently, we own a hobby farm and sell our produce locally.

I have raised foals from the age of three months to seniorhood. Having conducted numerous horse rescues, I've gained experience in working with unhandled horses. I am fully acquainted with the flighty, sensitive nature of horses and their tendency to panic in unfamiliar situations. I also have knowledge of their predisposition to life-threatening health emergencies, such as colic, when there are disruptions to feeding routines or a lack of access to water.

CHDC was formed in 2004 and is a federally registered non-profit organization. I am CHDC's president and a founding director. Our mandate is to end the slaughter of horses in Canada as well as their export to other countries for the same purpose.

Live export by air for slaughter has been our main focus since we became aware of its existence in 2012. Many CHDC supporters and volunteers, as well as most of our board members, are horse owners with years of experience in handling and caring for horses.

Over the past decade, polls and petitions have convinced us that many Canadians are as appalled as we are by the treatment of horses in the course of air export for slaughter. We have studied ATIP documents that detail deaths and injuries that have occurred to horses being air-shipped to slaughter.

One particularly egregious 2014 example involved a suffering horse breaking through a wooden crate and kicking a hole into the fuselage of the plane. The horse was dead on arrival.

On its website, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency states that it is aware of five horse deaths associated with live exports since 2013. If we go back one more year, we discover from ATIP documents that six horses died in 2012 and three in 2011. Numerous injuries associated with these horse exports have been documented over the years.

The live horse export industry must abide by International Air Transport Association—IATA—requirements. Of note is that these requirements were amended to suit the industry in 2019, as were the health of animals regulations, which effectively removed protections that the exported horses had.

We have heard an industry representative speaking against Bill C-355. Jennifer Woods is a past president and a current board member of IATA. She is also on the World Organisation for Animal Health's transport committee and is actively updating transport chapters there to better align with the industry's needs. Any protections the exported horses may have had through that organization, such as water having to be provided after six hours of travel, will likely cease to exist after the updates are finished.

This raises the question of what the fox is doing guarding the henhouse.

ATIP documents regarding a January 16, 2024, flight out of Edmonton show that flights are not always compliant with IATA live animal regulations. After loading, it was discovered that one of the crates was 264 kilograms overweight, but the horses were shipped in spite of the weight violation.

Horses destined for human consumption are often overfed to the point of obesity. They are not likely to be administered medications in the event of illness or injury. Drugs prohibited from entering the food chain include a common anti-inflammatory, phenylbutazone. This drug and numerous others are flagged by the CFIA and Japanese officials as prohibited in food animals. Therefore, horses selected for export may not receive the benefit of pain-relieving medications when they need them.

I'd like to touch briefly on speculation about horses running rampant in Canada if live air exports to slaughter are ended.

Similar claims occurred in the U.S. when the government defunded inspections of horse slaughter plants, with widespread stories of horse abandonment. I can tell you that the vast majority of these claims were debunked. I have evidence in the form of letters and documents in my files for anyone interested in viewing them. It's not impossible at all for Canada to absorb 12 to 13 draft horses into the horse community.

As a horse owner, I know that horses are grazers. Grazing is the natural way for them to consume the nutrients they need during the course of the day. In fact, a horse can easily spend 10 to 17 hours per day grazing. Draft horses can drink up to 20 gallons of water per day.

The sport horse industry recognizes the unique needs of horses and accommodates these requirements by providing them with hay and fluids during transport. This kind of care reduces the risk of painful and deadly colic and other ailments due to food and water deprivation.

Further, a racing industry brief posted online states, “We consider the practice of exporting horses by air for slaughter to be abhorrent”.

The industry that transports horses overseas for slaughter ignores the well-being, safety and comfort of these animals. Their suffering is overlooked for the sake of profit. It's time to raise the bar for horses and to bring their welfare into line with what Canadians expect.

I thank you again and I look forward to your questions.

[The Chair, Liberal, Kody Blois]

Thank you very much.

We'll now turn to Dr. Lawson for up to five minutes. It's over to you, please.

[Dr. Trevor Lawson, President, Canadian Veterinary Medical Association]

Good morning.

I'm Dr. Trevor Lawson, the president of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association. I thank you for the invitation to appear here today at the committee.

The CVMA represents over 25,000 veterinarians and registered veterinary technicians across Canada who are devoted to caring for both small and large animal species. As animal health professionals, we review all the animal health and welfare issues by focusing on evidence-based criteria, without specie or animal use biases.

Following an evidence-based review and consultation with subject matter experts and experienced observers of the entire farm-to-market process, it is the view of the CVMA that the horses referred to in Bill C-355 have a good quality of life on their farms of origin. Horses purpose-bred for this market are bred and raised naturally in a herd environment and are provided with all of the essentials for a good life.

Regarding the transport in question, it was determined that these animals did not experience worse welfare or outcomes than any other food animal. In fact, the available data suggests better outcomes in general.

With respect to all modes of transport, the federal health of animals regulations amendments to part XII, “Transport of Animals”, were updated and enacted in February 2020. These amended regulations have several added protections for these horses in question, including floor and head space requirements and strict container requirements, as per the International Air Transport Association's live animals regulations, which are the global standard on the best practices regarding air transport of animals.

Canada has high standards for the on-farm care of horses, mandated by provincial legislation and the National Farm Animal Care Council equine code of practice. Transport-related protections are embedded in the federal health of animals regulations. Canada is one of the countries where animals destined for the export market can live good lives on their farms of origin and receive the necessary care and protections during transport.

Regarding the current proposed bill, Bill C-355, the CVMA is cognizant of and is concerned that the potential for disruptions to the current supply of Canadian horses for this market could lead to unintended negative consequences. These include the significantly decreased value of the horses in the supply chain and the concomitant potential decrease in incentivized high welfare standards.

As well, animal welfare would be at risk due to the current lack of slaughter capacity to process these horses and the resultant uncertain final disposition of these animals.

Furthermore, the cessation of this market in Canada could result in the sourcing of horses from countries where on-farm welfare and transportation are not prioritized as they are in Canada. As such, this could lead to significant harm to these horses.

The CVMA holds that food animals be treated humanely throughout their lives, from birth to death, including during transport. According to our evidence-based review, it is the position of the CVMA that the horses transported for this market are not at any greater welfare risk than any other transported animals. In fact, there may be a higher standard of care overall, due to their high value.

The CVMA holds that while there is no immediate welfare risk to these horses, improvements to the existing transport process, as well as publicly funded support for animal transport-related research and innovations, will improve animal welfare in this and all food animal transports.

In order to address potential risks, the CVMA encourages the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to dedicate the resources needed to ensure adequate inspection and enforcement of all regulatory requirements to mitigate animal transport welfare-related risks during transport and at destination.

To conclude, the CVMA does not support Bill C-355 as written, as the current transport conditions do not lead to noteworthy animal welfare concerns. The bill would lead to unintended negative animal welfare consequences that have not been fully considered. The CVMA supports continued research, improvements and innovations in all areas related to food animal transport.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Kody Blois]

Thank you very much, Dr. Lawson.

We'll now turn to our final witness, Ms. Demianowicz, from Humane Society International/Canada.

We'll go over to you for five minutes.

[Ewa Demianowicz, Senior Campaign Manager, Humane Society International/Canada]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Good morning. My name is Ewa Demianowicz, and I'm the campaign manager for Humane Society International/Canada. I would have liked to speak to you in French today, but since most members of this committee understand English, I'll continue my presentation in that language.

Humane Society International is a leading animal protection group with offices around the world. We represent supporters across the country who are opposed to the live export of horses by air for slaughter. Nearly 50,000 people have responded to our action alert on this issue. Just yesterday, new poll results show that seven out of 10 Canadians oppose the export of live horses by air for slaughter. Canadians and people around the world are watching and supporting Bill C-355.

Transportation is one of the most stressful experiences that animals are forced to endure. Limiting its duration and committing to the highest animal welfare standards possible during transport should be the objective of any country that takes the issue of animal welfare seriously. The best available scientific evidence shows that animals should not be transported for more than eight hours without a break, as is the case in the European Union for many species, including horses.

Currently, total time of this complex journey to Japan is significantly above this duration. Once the horses leave the country, the clock is reset, and Canadian authority no longer applies. At the destination in Japan, Canada has no authority on how these horses are treated. This is an extremely long and exhausting journey for them without food, water or rest. The stressful conditions in which these horses are transported have caused injury and death. Flying these highly sensitive and easily agitated animals in small wooden crates, with multiple horses per crate, without a veterinary equine expert on board, without access to food and water and without rest is inhumane.

Approximately 47,000 horses have already endured this horrible journey to Japan in the exhausting and difficult conditions that have been described in front of this committee, only to be served as a luxury dish.

We have the opportunity to put an end to this practice and prevent the suffering of thousands more horses by passing Bill C-355.

I will now let my colleague, Dr. Nicholas Dodman from the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association, speak to you.

[Dr. Nicholas Dodman, Professor Emeritus, Tufts University, Humane Society International/Canada]

My name is Dr. Nicholas Dodman. I'm a veterinarian, board-certified in veterinary anaesthesia and as a behaviourist. I'm experienced in equine anaesthesia, analgesia and behaviour. I've worked with thousands of horses over the course of my career. I retired from Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in 2016 as professor emeritus after 25 years on the faculty.

I'm here today to shed light on a practice that has remained largely in the shadows of our consciousness: the shipping of horses by air for slaughter in remote locations such as Japan. As a veterinarian and animal behaviourist, it's my solemn duty to bring attention to the inherent disadvantages and ethical concerns surrounding the long-distance air transportation of horses.

The issues with such stressful transportations are multiple horses housed together in a single crate; horses with no training or prior experience of air travel; horses not accompanied en route or monitored by, preferably, an equine specialist; plus 24 hours or more of transport without food, water, or rest.

First, let us acknowledge the innate nature of the horse. These magnificent creatures are not merely commodities; they are sentient beings with complex emotional and physical needs. Placing them in a confined and stressful environment in an aircraft goes against their very essence. That is why measures must be taken to ensure their safety and well-being.

The transportation we are discussing today ignores the principal needs of horses. To confine them in a crate and subject them to the noise, vibration and turbulence of air travel is to inflict upon them a level of stress and discomfort that is both unnecessary and inhumane. Moreover, the logistics of shipping horses by air pose significant risks to their health and well-being. Unlike other livestock, horses are inherently flighty and easily scared.

The stress of the plane’s motion and the noise inside the aircraft can lead to shipping fever and colic. Shipping fever causes respiratory distress, fever and dehydration. Furthermore, the close proximity of multiple horses in a confined space, four to a crate, increases the risk of injury. Unfamiliar horses may not be compatible and should not travel together in close contact, with three to four horses in a single crate that has no divisions. Extreme care must be taken when flying horses by air, which is not the case with the type of transportation we are discussing today.

In conclusion, the practice of shipping horses by air for slaughter from Canada to Japan is not only ethically questionable, but is also fraught with practical concerns. As stewards of the animal kingdom, it is incumbent upon us to seek alternatives that prioritize the health, safety and dignity of horses, ensuring a future in which they are treated with the respect and compassion they so rightly deserve.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Kody Blois]

Thank you, Dr. Dodman.

We'll now move to questions, colleagues.

I'm going to start with Mr. Steinley. I will be tight on time, so you have up to six minutes and no more, please.

[Warren Steinley, Conservative, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

Thank you very much.

Captain Perry, you gave a bit of your argument about why the airline pilots are against this piece of legislation at the end of your comments. Could you verify that there were no consultations with the Air Line Pilots Association by the sponsor of this bill? When did you first hear about this bill? Could you please expand on that?

[Capt Tim Perry]

I'd have to look at exactly when we were first notified. I can let you know in writing, sir. However, I can confirm that the airline pilots were not consulted for this bill. I think this aspect of the bill reflects that.

[Warren Steinley, Conservative, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

Thank you very much. If you could respond in writing, I would appreciate that, and the committee would appreciate that information.

I'll move on to the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association.

How many veterinarians do you represent? As you said, you do not support this bill as written. Do most people in your membership support this position? I'm assuming they do, as you're the representative for the veterinarians.

[Dr. Trevor Lawson]

The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association represents the interests of 15,000 veterinarians across Canada and internationally.

As to how we represent our membership, we rely strictly on the science behind the subject at hand. What that indicates to us is that the welfare of horses shipped by air is often superior to what we see with other food animals, so it does not represent a pressing inherent risk at this point.

We're certainly also representing the fact that animal welfare is a standard that doesn't stand still, so we would suggest there is always work to do on improving transport of farm animals, and that work is something we very much support.

[Warren Steinley, Conservative, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

Thank you very much.

We heard here again the false claim that horses transported by air for slaughter are significantly worse off than horses that travel by air for other reasons. Can you either confirm or deny this claim, please?

[Dr. Trevor Lawson]

I'm not able to confirm that this is the case. I think the data speaks for itself, which is that horses that are shipped for export for food have a very good standard. There have been very few reports. I think some older data was addressed by other testimony.

I would suggest that the fact that the older data does not stand true today is suggestive that we've made improvements over time to ensure the welfare of animals that are being exported. That would be consistent with the health of animals regulations, which were updated in February 2020.

[Warren Steinley, Conservative, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

Of the 8,000 veterinarians you represent, many would be large-animal specialists. We have had a few small-animal experts claim—one even worked at an aquarium for several years—that the horses are being mistreated. As you represent very many large-animal veterinarians, could you please expand on the fact that although this legislation, as written, is not going to increase the safety of air transportation for horses and that although the regulations in place could be made better, the regulations as they are now are probably some of the best regulations for air travel for horses in the world?

[Dr. Trevor Lawson]

Yes, I think I've tried to address that in my testimony.

If we look at the standards that are laid out in the health of animals regulations, we see that air transport for these horses is well within the standards and in fact very much below the maximum allowable duration of 28 hours, with typical trips being between 10 and 12 hours. That is quite common.

I believe that the ultimate reality is that the horses, from the time they're born on farm, have a very good quality of life. We haven't seen data that would suggest that these horses are any worse off than any horse travelling by air.

[Warren Steinley, Conservative, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

I'd like to get into that next.

These horses do actually have a good quality of life. We had someone who raises these horses come to the committee and testify about how much they care for these horses on-farm and how they are well taken care of. We continue to hear false claims from other witnesses about the mistreatment of these horses on-farm and to their final destination.

As a veterinarian, like probably many veterinarians within the 8,000, you've been on the farms to see how well these horses are treated and how they're cared for. Do you think there's any difference between how horses are treated for transportation to their final destination in Japan and how other horses have been treated on farms? I think one of the false bases that people are presenting here time and again is that these horses are treated differently while they're being raised on their farms.

[Dr. Trevor Lawson]

Thank you for the question.

Personally, I cannot speak to how the horses are cared for in Japan, although I believe Jennifer Woods has testified to committee regarding that aspect, having first-hand experience. What I can offer is that I have 20 years of working with horses and cattle in the food animals sector and with horses on the pleasure horse side.

I also had the opportunity to tour feed yards in Alberta a number of years ago, where these horses were being purpose-bred and were being raised for export to Japan. I can tell you that during my time there, I saw very little that was concerning from an animal welfare perspective. I would suggest that many of the horses were receiving exceptional care, care that would be comparable to the normal standard that I would apply to client horses.

[Warren Steinley, Conservative, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

Thank you very much, and thank you for your first-hand experience in your evidence-based presentation.

[The Chair, Liberal, Kody Blois]

Thank you, Mr. Steinley.

We will now move to Mr. Carr for up to six minutes.

[Ben Carr, Liberal, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Lawson, can you please provide for us in detail your understanding of the protocols that are in place to ensure the welfare of a horse, beginning at the stage with which it arrives in Japan to the point at which it is slaughtered in Japan? Can you provide for us in detail your understanding of the protocols in place to ensure horse welfare at those stages of the transportation process?

Thank you.

[Dr. Trevor Lawson]

As I've stated, I have not visited Japan to see the handling facilities. I've received second-hand information from individuals who have been there. It is described to be at a very high level.

I think we would understand that culturally, the Japanese have a—

[Ben Carr, Liberal, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

I'm sorry to interject, Mr. Lawson. Can you please elaborate? You say at a “high level” and “second-hand” knowledge. What does that look like? What have you heard from people about that protocol in Japan?