I think that people have been led to believe something that is just patently false: that if this bill passes, there cannot be or there will not be other animal cruelty legislation.
We're here today at this committee dealing with a private member's bill from the Senate. My way of looking at it, and I think the way a lot of people look at it, is that this bill does one thing, and it's one thing that I support. So for me to oppose a bill that does something that I support, which is an increased penalty, doesn't make any sense at all.
I think, Mr. Holland, that what's happened with this campaign is that people have been led to believe something that's absolutely untrue: that when we, as legislators, legislate an area, we're prohibited from doing so at some point in the future. That's just absolutely not the case.
There are convictions under the current law. The sentences are too low. This provides for greater sentences, and I think that better sentences is something that people are calling for.
We have a bill that is being attacked for not being all things to all people, but it also doesn't claim to be that, as far as I can see.