Justice committee  I hadn't caught it in the first instance, but I think it makes some sense to amend it by striking “or a bird” after “as an animal”, in both 160(5)(a) and 160(5)(b). In proposed paragraph (b), I think it occurs twice, but in each instance striking that makes sense, given section 1

Justice committee  In lines 3 and 4, and then again in the second-to-last line there.

Justice committee  It's the third line, yes. I think it makes sense.

Justice committee  Ms. Crook.

Justice committee  My last question picks up on this idea of a bigger conversation and Bill C-84 as a first step. I want to actually note that this is a non-partisan issue, because I've had conversations with Michelle Rempel, with Len Webber, with Murray Rankin, members of all parties who care abou

Justice committee  Really quickly, from the rest of the witnesses....

Justice committee  Thanks very much. Thank you to all three of you and your organizations for your advocacy, without which I don't think we would be here today talking about this piece of legislation. I want to follow up on Mr. Cooper's questions, but turn instead to this question of a prohibiti

Justice committee  Ms. Crook.

Justice committee  I note there is obviously strong support around this table for Bill C-84, and at different times it's been called very important and at different times modest. In keeping with Ms. Crook's very appropriate commitment to build a more humane and compassionate Canada, if you were to

Justice committee  Ms. Cartwright.

Justice committee  I have less of a question than a point on “baiting”, just so that the committee is clear. From some of the questions, I got the sense that people thought the word “baiting” was being added by the bill, but the word “baiting” has been in the Criminal Code for decades, so to the ex

Justice committee  Thanks very much.

Justice committee  In terms of the moral wrong that we're aiming to address in the Criminal Code, is it a crime to cause unnecessary pain and suffering to animals because they're sentient—they think and feel and can suffer pain—or is it because they're the property of someone else?

Justice committee  I think it gets to the bottom of what we want the Criminal Code to look like in terms of protecting animals, and that will depend upon the first principles of what we want to protect in the first place. I think it's important, when we know and the evidence is that animals can thi

Justice committee  It's fair to say then that this is a first step—I would say a fairly modest first step, if I'm being generous—and that as justice minister you are committing to additional consultations and to doing more where those consultations find some consensus and find a way forward.