Mr. Chair, I'm sure this is just an oversight on the part of the drafter, but I believe it's important to allow businesses and marine research organizations a chance to comply with the new law after it has been passed. I know that Marineland has asked for more a year, but I think 12 months is a reasonable time frame.
As you heard from the Marineland testimony, they are concerned about cetaceans that are currently pregnant and those that could be pregnant just before this bill becomes law. The intent here is to ensure that the owners of cetaceans that become pregnant prior to passage of Bill S-203 are not considered to commit a crime simply by owning, having the custody of, or control of a cetacean that is born to a cetacean that was lawfully pregnant before the act.
We propose that Bill S-203 be amended by adding after line 3 on page 4 the following new clause:
Coming into Force
7. This Act comes into force on the first anniversary of the day on which it receives royal assent.