There's been a great deal of discussion about the fear of animal rights groups, and I want to make it clear that animal rights groups do not have any authority to lay charges, any more than you or I, as a private prosecution. We have stringent screening processes in our system to prevent frivolous prosecutions from proceeding. Because either of these bills would make hybrid offences, there is a much higher scrutiny from the crown attorney as well as a change that was added in 2002 to require a person wanting to lay a private prosecution to appear before a provincial court judge and convince him there is a need to pursue the case. That would all happen before an accused person were even notified.
I can understand people worrying about animal rights groups, but you've got to look at the practicality. They do not have the authority to lay charges.
People have even suggested that animal rights groups would try to second humane societies or SPCAs to lay their charges for them, and I find that an offensive suggestion. That would never happen.