Evidence of meeting #128 for Justice and Human Rights in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was fighting.
A recording is available from Parliament.
10:25 a.m.
Liberal
Ron McKinnon Liberal Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC
Thanks.
In relation to animal fighting, it seems to me that spectators are part of the equation.
Under the current legislation, are you able to prosecute spectators? It appears to me that under these amendments, it would include people who take part in such activities as people who can be charged with these offences.
Do you agree with that? Would it be helpful?
10:25 a.m.
Senior Manager, Cruelty Investigations, BC SPCA
The current legislation allows us to charge anybody with being present at a cockfight. Certainly, extending that legislation for all animal fighting would be of significant assistance, particularly in those jurisdictions where they're seeing a prevalence of dogfighting. The difficulty, of course, is whether you're present at the time the dogfight or the cockfight is occurring.
10:25 a.m.
Liberal
Ron McKinnon Liberal Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC
In your work, you have experience with prosecuting or detecting a case of bestiality. Other witnesses have proposed that people convicted of bestiality offences ought to be recorded as sexual offenders.
Would you agree with that in your experience? Would you feel qualified to respond?
10:25 a.m.
Liberal
10:25 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Anthony Housefather
Thank you very much.
I really want to thank again both members of the panel for coming today. You've been extremely helpful with your testimony. It is really appreciated.
We are going to suspend briefly so that we can resume in camera for a discussion about our schedule.
We will briefly suspend, and then I will ask everyone who is not able to be at the in camera session to please leave as soon as you can. Thank you so much.
[Proceedings continue in camera]