House of Commons Hansard #222 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was horses.

Topics

Division No. 412Government Orders

6:30 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Division No. 412Government Orders

6:30 p.m.

Reform

Chuck Strahl Reform Fraser Valley, BC

Mr. Speaker, Reform Party members present vote yes on this motion.

Division No. 412Government Orders

6:30 p.m.

Bloc

Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Verchères, QC

Mr. Speaker, the members of the Bloc Quebecois oppose this motion.

Division No. 412Government Orders

6:30 p.m.

NDP

Michelle Dockrill NDP Bras D'Or, NS

Mr. Speaker, New Democrats will be voting no on this motion.

Division No. 412Government Orders

6:30 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

André Harvey Progressive Conservative Chicoutimi, QC

Mr. Speaker, the members of the Progressive Conservative Party will be voting no to this motion.

(The House divided on Motion No. 30, which was negatived on the following division:)

Division No. 413Government Orders

6:30 p.m.

The Speaker

I declare Motion No. 30 defeated.

The next question is on Motion No. 31.

Division No. 413Government Orders

6:30 p.m.

Liberal

Bob Kilger Liberal Stormont—Dundas, ON

Mr. Speaker, I think you will find unanimous consent that those members who voted on the previous motion be recorded as having voted on the motion now before the House, with the Liberal members voting no.

Division No. 413Government Orders

6:30 p.m.

The Speaker

Is there agreement to proceed in such a fashion?

Division No. 413Government Orders

6:30 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Division No. 413Government Orders

6:30 p.m.

Reform

Chuck Strahl Reform Fraser Valley, BC

Mr. Speaker, Reform Party members present vote yes on this motion.

Division No. 413Government Orders

6:30 p.m.

Bloc

Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Verchères, QC

Mr. Speaker, the members of the Bloc Quebecois will vote in favour of this motion.

Division No. 413Government Orders

6:30 p.m.

NDP

Michelle Dockrill NDP Bras D'Or, NS

Mr. Speaker, New Democrats will be voting no on this motion.

Division No. 413Government Orders

6:30 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

André Harvey Progressive Conservative Chicoutimi, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Progressive Conservative members vote yes to this motion.

(The House divided on Motion No. 31, which was negatived on the following division:)

Division No. 414Government Orders

6:30 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

I declare Motion No. 31 defeated.

Division No. 414Government Orders

6:30 p.m.

Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel Québec

Liberal

Alfonso Gagliano LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services

moved that the bill be concurred in.

Division No. 414Government Orders

6:30 p.m.

Liberal

Bob Kilger Liberal Stormont—Dundas, ON

Mr. Speaker, if the House would agree, I would propose that you seek unanimous consent that members who voted on the previous motion be recorded as having voted on the motion now before the House, with Liberal members voting yea.

Division No. 414Government Orders

6:30 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

Is there agreement to proceed in this fashion?

Division No. 414Government Orders

6:30 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Division No. 414Government Orders

6:30 p.m.

Reform

Chuck Strahl Reform Fraser Valley, BC

Mr. Speaker, Reform Party members present vote no on this motion.

Division No. 414Government Orders

6:30 p.m.

Bloc

Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Verchères, QC

Mr. Speaker, the members of the Bloc Quebecois will vote against this motion.

Division No. 414Government Orders

6:30 p.m.

NDP

Michelle Dockrill NDP Bras D'Or, NS

Mr. Speaker, the New Democrats present will vote no on this motion.

Division No. 414Government Orders

6:30 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

André Harvey Progressive Conservative Chicoutimi, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Progressive Conservative members oppose this motion.

(The House divided on the motion, which was agreed to on the following division:)

Division No. 419Government Orders

6:35 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

I declare the motion carried.

The House will now proceed to the consideration of Private Members' Business as listed on today's order paper.

National Horse Of Canada ActPrivate Members' Business

6:35 p.m.

Liberal

Murray Calder Liberal Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey, ON

moved that Bill C-454, an act to provide for the recognition of the Canadian horse as the national horse of Canada, be read the second time and referred to a committee.

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured today to have my private member's bill, Bill C-454, debated on the floor of the House of Commons.

I wish first to acknowledge the hard work of the hon. member for Lanark—Carleton who introduced a similar bill in the last parliament. He has worked hard to win recognition for an important part of our history, and for this he deserves our thanks.

Today I will explain why I introduced this bill and why I believe the Canadian horse should be recognized as the official horse of Canada.

The Canadian horse has been an integral part of our history and our heritage. Scientists now believe that horses originated in North America 50 million years ago. When the first humans arrived in North America they migrated from Asia across a strip of land that is now gone. At the same time the horses were migrating to Asia by the same route. Our first nations were the first humans to have contact with horses. Eventually these horses disappeared from North America. They moved to China, then the Middle East and finally northern Europe.

The circle was completed by the mid-1600s. The ancestors of the current Canadian horse came from France with the early French settlers. They were introduced to Canada between 1647 and 1670 by Louis XIV who sent roughly 30 horses from his own stables in Normandy and Brittany. There was no standard Norman or Breton breeds in the 17th century. As a result, the Canadian Horse can trace its ancestry back to several breeds, including the Andalusian, the Arabian and the Percheron horses.

The Canadian horse became distinctive over time as it adapted to Canadian conditions. The shortage of food meant that the breed became smaller than its French ancestors. Today the Canadian horse could be classified as a medium size horse.

The cold climate and the shortage of barns meant that only the strongest survived. The breed became exceptionally strong and able to thrive in difficult Canadian conditions. The horse has a thick winter coat, a thick mane and tail, and short ears, all of which help to protect it from the harsh Canadian winters. The Canadian horse is the best horse suited to the Canadian climate. Indeed, it is the hardiest breed in the world and often is called the little iron horse.

Canadian horses were indispensable to the settlers in New France. They helped clear, plough and cultivate the soil. They made roads. They transported people and goods. They carried children to school and doctors to the sick and dying. They provided entertainment in the form of horse racing. Indeed they were the foundation of the economic well-being of New France.

It is no surprise to discover that the inhabitants of New France had a great admiration for their horse. When in 1757 the inhabitants found themselves desperately short of food, the administrators of the colony directed the people to butcher some of their horses for meat. The inhabitants were horrified. They would not eat their horses, they said, because it would be like eating one of their family.

The Canadian horse later played an important role in Manitoba, Ontario and the maritime provinces. They cleared the wood from the farms in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. They hauled the timber that built the famous wooden ships constructed in the maritimes. After the conquest, many residents of New France headed west to the Red River Valley taking their sturdy horses with them.

The United Empire Loyalists, driven from their homes during the American revolution, often passed through present day Quebec on their way to their new homes. Many bought Canadian horses to help them with farm work and to use for transportation. The Canadian horse was common in Upper Canada in the 1800s.

In fact, in my area, Grey county, those horses were used by the surveyors who were bringing supplies from Owen Sound down to the Guelph area. From Hamilton up they had to transport everything by backpack on these horses to be able to do the surveys to open up that area.

I have experienced walking behind a walking plough and seeing those horses in action. They are the most efficient and hard working animal and have helped Canadians in many achievements. They were involved in building roads in our area as well. Gravel had to be hauled by wagon and not by the huge dump trucks that we have today. They set up the rudimentary transportation routes back in the early 1700s and 1800s which are the highways we drive on today.

The Canadian horse is still bred in my area by Brenda and Geoff Pantling of Orton, Patricia Cooper of Palgrave, Kathleen MacRobbie of Mount Forest, and Barbara Kidd of Arthur.

In the 1800s many Canadian horses were shipped to the United States. They were bred with other horses to create both the Morgan and Standardbred breeds. The Tennessee Walking Horse and the Saddlebred breeds can also claim Canadian ancestry.

The Canadian horse was used as cavalry mounts and pack horses particularly during the American civil war. Its toughness made it a well suited horse for war. War and interbreeding have threatened the very existence of the Canadian horse. By the end of the 1800s the Canadian horse was in danger of extinction.

Breeders responded by creating a stud book in 1886 and forming the Canadian Horse Breeders Association in 1895. Then the federal government recognized the importance of this horse and took vigorous steps to protect this symbol of Canadian heritage. Export of the horses was stopped. A new and more selective stud book was established in 1907. In 1913 a breeding centre was opened at Cap Rouge, Quebec. Through combined efforts of the federal government and private breeders, the Canadian horse was saved. There are now more than 1,000 Canadian horses in Canada.

The Canadian horse is a perfect symbol for Canada. It has those traits that we, as Canadians, value. I am talking about all Canadians. The Canadian horse is strong for its size. It is both persistent and resilient. It is an intelligent and well-tempered Horse. The Canadian horse has a long life. Like this country itself, Canadian horses are very peaceful. From the time of ancient Greece, the horse has been an emblem signifying strength and courage. The Canadian Horse is one of the world's strongest and most courageous breeds. For this reason, it is the perfect emblem for Canada.

The Hon. Sydney Fisher who was minister of agriculture for an incredible 15 years from 1896 to 1911, had the following to say on the Canadian horse:

—as a rule, is the most kindly, gentle, and docile animal I have ever had the opportunity of handling, and he is also one of the truest to his work. He never gives out, it does not matter what he is at. If he is on the road he travels along forever, and if he has a load behind him he will tug at it until he moves it. He never balks, and children can handle him with the greatest safety. In every way he is docile and kindly.

The 1914 Breeders Gazette of Chicago tells an interesting story about a Canadian horse. A wood merchant from Pennsylvania purchased a Canadian horse which he harnessed on the same pole beside another horse 200 pounds heavier. I have a colleague here who is involved in the forestry trade who will probably tell members a story similar to this. The Canadian horse always kept up his end and never seemed to get tired. After two years, the heavier horse died. When asked what happened, the driver said “the Canadian horse worked him to death”. Another heavy horse was also teamed with the same Canadian, but it died the following year while the Canadian worked on.

No wonder the author of the International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds calls the Canadian horse the best kept secret of the 20th century.

Symbols are important to any country, not for the country's economic health, but for its identity, for its sense of self. Previous governments and previous parliaments have recognized the importance of symbols. In 1964 parliament had a six month debate over a distinctive Canadian flag. In 1975 a private member's bill declared the beaver as the official symbol of our sovereignty. Recently parliament recognized hockey and lacrosse as national sports.

Other countries also recognize the importance of symbols. The eagle is the national bird of the United States. The wax palm is the national tree of Columbia. The carib wood is the national flower of Dominica. The Azteca is the national horse of Mexico.

Symbols are one way that we communicate our heritage, our history, our values, our identity. Countries have always identified themselves with flags, coats of arms and other emblems.

Canadians are no different. We have a deep respect for our symbols. We treat our flag with reverence and enthusiasm. We respect the beaver and the coat of arms of the country. As Charles Frederick Hamilton of the RCMP said in 1921:

—a nation needs emblems and symbols to preserve traditions and inspire love of country.

Just 10 days ago something happened which demonstrated the importance of symbols and their ability to stir strong sentiments. The Parti Quebecois unanimously adopted a resolution saying that the Canadian horse should be recognized as the official horse of Quebec. In the course of the discussion, delegates were told about the bill that we are now discussing. They were encouraged to adopt the resolution so that Quebec would beat Ottawa to the punch, so that Quebec could recognize the Canadian horse before the federal government had a chance to do so.

Of course, the province of Quebec is perfectly within its rights to declare an official horse for Quebec. However, it strikes me as a cheap political ploy to do so only to steal the federal government's thunder.

I have this to say to the Parti Quebecois and to the Government of Quebec: Recognize the Canadian horse if you like, but do so because you appreciate its importance to our history, not because you want to score cheap political points. To recognize this horse for the wrong reasons is to cheapen its worth as a symbol of the history and values of both Quebec and Canada.

Certainly the Canadian Horse has played a key role in the history of Quebec. However, it has also played a crucial role in the development of Canada as a whole. It is a symbol of our development as a country and of our diversity. It is a symbol that we are strong, independent and equal to the task. It is a symbol not just of the heritage of Quebec but of the history of this entire country.

Today, more than ever in our history, we need faith and confidence in ourselves as Canadians. We need to recognize the symbols of our past, our heritage and our values. This bill will recognize one of those symbols and I ask all members for their support.

National Horse Of Canada ActPrivate Members' Business

6:50 p.m.

Reform

Inky Mark Reform Dauphin—Swan River, MB

Mr. Speaker, I take great pleasure in being involved in the debate on private member's Bill C-454. The official opposition certainly supports the member for Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey in his private member's Bill C-454 to have the Canadian Horse recognized and declared to be the national horse of Canada.

The unstated intent of the bill is to protect this animal from extinction. Recently, the Canadian Equestrian Federation wanted the animal placed on a stamp for very similar reasons. Similarly, the Equine Research Centre at the University of Guelph, Canada's leading veterinary school located beside the riding of the hon. member for Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey, is working to ensure a future for Canada's own unique breed.

In our research, we contacted a number of people and organizations with an interest in horses. None were opposed to this bill. Comments ranged from “it is a good idea” to “why not, it won't do any harm”.

The Canadian horse was not seen as a mainline breed as were the quarter horse and the painted thoroughbred but rather as an obscure and diminishing breed which poses no threat to established breeds or commercial operations.

The Canadian horse is a unique breed in Canada. The Canadian horse celebrates its 350th anniversary in Canada this year. Nicknamed the Little Iron Horse, the Canadian is a result of natural selection and breeding to fit the uniquely Canadian climate. With only approximately 2,200 Canadian horses in existence, the breed is registered as an endangered species and is classified as vulnerable.

The first horse to gallop on Canadian soil was unloaded in Quebec on June 25, 1647. The original horse stocks were Arabs, Bretons and Anglo-Norman horses brought to Quebec from France. Over time, these horses adapted to the cold Canadian climate, becoming smaller in size and extremely hardy.

Generally the Canadian Horse is black but colours also range from bay to light chestnut. A stallion can weigh 1,050 to 1,350 pounds and the mare, 1,000 to 1,250 pounds. They are 14 to 16 hands in height. The Canadian has a well-proportioned body with especially well muscled legs. The mane and tail are thick, long and wavy. The Canadian is generally very easy to handle. The Canadian is long lived and still useful at an advanced age. The mares are extremely fertile and reproduce regularly until the age of 20 or older.

The Canadians were much loved and utilized by the early settlers because of their strength, willingness, and small food requirements. Their numbers rose quickly so that by 1850 there were approximately 150,000 Canadians. However, the importing of other breeds and exporting to the United States for use in various wars meant the horse was in danger of disappearing as a distinct breed. The number of Canadian horses had declined to under 400 in 1976.

As early as 1886 efforts had been made to increase the numbers of the Canadian breed. Efforts have continued throughout this century with the result that there are presently over 2,000 Canadians. However, with only eight bloodlines in existence today, Canadian horse breeders remain concerned about the future of this little iron horse. The Equine Research Centre is one of a number of groups working on different approaches to ensure a future for the Canadian horse for Canada.

One of the concerns of the Reform Party is that this bill might reflect unfavourably on the Newfoundland pony. Some can argue that this is a pony and not a horse and therefore this would minimize the impact.

Our other concern is that this bill can impact on the prestige of the RCMP's magnificent horses, one of which was given to the Queen this past year. We have tried to make contact with the RCMP but at this point in time we have not received a response.

We have contacted numerous people. I do not know much about horses and had to do some research to speak intelligently about the Canadian horse. We have talked to organizations and individuals like Greg Barrington, a horse trainer in Burnt River, Ontario; Alison Neill, communications co-ordinator for the Canadian Equestrian Federation; Nancy Kavanagh of the Canadian Morgan Horse Association; Pam Schroeder of Canadian Horsetrader Magazine ; Linda Santa, vice-chairman of marketing for the Manitoba Horse Council; Laurel Smith, the executive director of the Horse Council of British Columbia; the Equine Research Centre in Guelph; and Kit Wallace, the equine studies program manager at Kwantlan College in Vancouver. We have certainly done some homework.

Agriculture is certainly the backbone of my riding of Dauphin—Swan River. Horses are very numerous in my riding. They have become very popular both on the farm and recreationally over the last dozen years. The horse has contributed and continues to contribute to the economic climate of Dauphin—Swan River and continues to play a large part in the culture.

I would like to applaud the hon. member for Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey for his work on this private member's bill, Bill C-454, an act to provide for the recognition of the Canadian Horse as the national horse of Canada. I close by saying that the official opposition supports this bill.