Evidence of meeting #47 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was wildlife.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Ward Samson  Member, Newfoundland and Labrador Wildlife Federation
Tony Rodgers  Executive Director, Nova Scotia Federation of Anglers and Hunters
Charles LeBlanc  President, New Brunswick Wildlife Federation

10:05 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Harold Albrecht

Thank you, Dr. Carrie.

At this point we have one further committee member who wishes to ask a question, Mr. Sopuck.

Does any other committee member want to ask for another round, or are we going to conclude?

Okay. We'll hear Mr. Sopuck for five minutes, and then we'll conclude our questions for today.

10:05 a.m.

Conservative

Robert Sopuck Conservative Dauphin—Swan River—Marquette, MB

Thank you. I appreciate this opportunity.

Where you three gentlemen live, many of your communities, especially the sealing communities, have been victimized by the animal rights movement. Are you seeing much activity on the animal rights front in your area these days?

10:05 a.m.

Executive Director, Nova Scotia Federation of Anglers and Hunters

Tony Rodgers

We're not. Every once in awhile, PETA will jump up and try to do a campaign. That's the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. They will come in and try to do a campaign, but it's usually a splash and they're gone again. My observation has been that there are probably 10 people in the province who are dedicated anti-hunting, anti-shooting people, so that's not a real concern.

10:05 a.m.

President, New Brunswick Wildlife Federation

Charles LeBlanc

Mr. Sopuck, here in New Brunswick we don't have a big problem. The province of New Brunswick is vastly rural, so people understand the importance of trapping and hunting. It's not all of our population. We have 100,000 people participating in the sport out of 750,000, but they are tolerant of hunters. Our provincial laws allow us access to pretty much everywhere on crown land, of course.

I think we don't have a problem with it. Federally we hear them, and they don't serve us very well, but provincially New Brunswickers understand the importance of this sport or these endeavours.

10:05 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Harold Albrecht

Go ahead, Mr. Sopuck.

10:05 a.m.

Conservative

Robert Sopuck Conservative Dauphin—Swan River—Marquette, MB

I want to bring your attention to quotes from a couple of New Democratic Party MPs, which greatly disturbed me. Along with the three of you, I have been fighting the animal rights movement for about 20-plus years. I agree with both Mr. Rodgers and Mr. LeBlanc that this is a movement that has been dampened down. As hunters, anglers, and trappers we're actually in pretty good shape.

But on October 27, 2014, Jean Crowder, the New Democrat MP for Nanaimo—Cowichan said that she supports legislation in which “animals would be considered people and not just property.” That is a direct quote.

Similarly, Françoise Boivin, the New Democrat MP for Gatineau, Quebec, in the same debate said that animals should be treated—

10:05 a.m.

NDP

François Choquette NDP Drummond, QC

A point of order, Mr. Chair.

10:05 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Harold Albrecht

On a point of order, Mr. Choquette....

10:05 a.m.

NDP

François Choquette NDP Drummond, QC

Is this really part of the study we are doing?

I don't think we are looking at private members' bills from the New Democrats. Also, the New Democrat MPs aren't here to defend themselves and explain why they said these things. I don't think this relates to our study. We should reread the motion related to this study to see if it is part of the laws and rights concerned. I think we are talking about economic development related to hunting and trapping, not animal rights.

10:10 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Harold Albrecht

Mr. Choquette, in fairness, if you look closely at the motion, it clearly talks about the cultural significance, and certainly what Mr. Sopuck is getting at does speak to the cultural significance of hunting.

Mr. Sopuck, please continue.

10:10 a.m.

Conservative

Robert Sopuck Conservative Dauphin—Swan River—Marquette, MB

Thank you. I will continue with Ms. Boivin's quote where she said animals should be treated with “the same protection that we afford to children and people with mental or physical disabilities.”

As well, a number of your groups, and Mr. Rodgers, I see, in a letter of November 24, 2014, which was signed by about 15 hunting and angling groups across the country to all MPs, talked about Ms. Morin, the NDP MP member for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, and her Bill C-592. According to the letter that many of your groups signed, this bill could unintentionally criminalize all sorts of accepted, necessary, and traditional practices. Everything from food production; hunting, fishing, and trapping; research using animals; sports and entertainment; and private ownership would be impacted.

We also note, for Mr. Bevington's benefit, that the Northwest Territories Wildlife Federation signed on to this plea for MPs to defeat this NDP bill.

Mr. Rodgers, maybe I'll just ask you, given that time is very short, to comment on the issue of what you've just heard.

10:10 a.m.

NDP

Dennis Bevington NDP Northwest Territories, NT

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

10:10 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Harold Albrecht

Mr. Bevington.

10:10 a.m.

NDP

Dennis Bevington NDP Northwest Territories, NT

Mr. Sopuck referred to this as an NDP bill, but it's actually a private member's bill.

10:10 a.m.

Conservative

Robert Sopuck Conservative Dauphin—Swan River—Marquette, MB

I stand corrected. Fair enough, I stand corrected—this private member's bill from an NDP.

Mr. Rodgers, could you comment, please?

10:10 a.m.

Executive Director, Nova Scotia Federation of Anglers and Hunters

Tony Rodgers

Thanks for the question.

We are always on guard for legislation and ideas and proposals that are going to have a negative effect on the ability for us to hunt. We went through this process earlier today when we talked about the economics, the culture. Can you imagine a country without hunting in it, the loss of revenue to wildlife and wildlife habitat? Every time we see something of this nature, and this is not the first time.... I've been with the federation for 26 years, and believe me—

10:10 a.m.

NDP

Jean Rousseau NDP Compton—Stanstead, QC

This is not the subject of the motion.

10:10 a.m.

Executive Director, Nova Scotia Federation of Anglers and Hunters

Tony Rodgers

—I've been looking at lots of legislation come this way. We're just going to stand on guard against that sort of thing, and whenever we see it we'll bring forward a letter and correspondence to make sure that people understand our position.

10:10 a.m.

Conservative

Robert Sopuck Conservative Dauphin—Swan River—Marquette, MB

Thank you very much.

10:10 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Harold Albrecht

That brings us to the end of our comments for today.

I want to thank our witnesses for being with us today. You've pointed out many of the economic, cultural, and actually sustenance needs in terms of the hunting and trapping community.

I want to applaud you as well, Mr. Rodgers. I would never have thought of the aspect of donating some of that protein to the food banks. That is certainly a very worthwhile initiative on your part.

Thank you, committee members. Thank you to our witnesses for their patience in dealing with the technological challenges that we have. At this point we will move to adjourn the meeting.

10:10 a.m.

Liberal

John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON

Before we adjourn, I submitted a motion, Chair.

10:10 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Harold Albrecht

Is it a motion dealing with committee business?

10:10 a.m.

Liberal

John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON

Future committee business....

10:10 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Harold Albrecht

Is it committee business? We'll move in camera.

10:10 a.m.

Liberal

John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON

Yes, we wouldn't want anybody to hear about this.