The situation is serious
The Government of Canada could severely punish documenting the living conditions of animals on farms. This would make it even more difficult to report the mistreatment of farmed animals!
Millions of animals suffer in silence behind closed doors.
Whistleblowers and journalists who seek to tell these animals’ stories and document their living conditions could be severely punished.
Canada already fails to adequately regulate the welfare of animals raised for food despite concerned citizens demanding greater transparency and accountability. This bill would give the industry—already self-regulated and lacking in transparency—even greater latitude to operate in secrecy.
The data from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is clear: no outbreak of disease on farms has been caused by trespassing.
About Bill C-275
An Act to Amend the Health of Animals Act
(biosecurity on farms)
Doesn’t Bill C-275 aim to ensure biosecurity on farms?
Despite its title, this bill does not address the root causes of biosecurity threats on farms: the lack of a regulatory framework pertaining to biosecurity and problematic farming practices in Canada. Instead, the bill targets citizens or journalists who witness and document acts of animal mistreatment on farms. The data from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is clear: no outbreak of disease on farms has been caused by trespassing. Instead, the facts show that current industry practices can jeopardize biosecurity and that the existing, strictly voluntary protocols need to be strengthened—yet the bill does nothing to address these issues. Submitted to the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, a letter by twenty infectious disease specialists denounces how the bill is blatantly aimed at the wrong targets
For more transparency
and less suffering behind closed doors
Photo credits: Julie LP / We Animals Media, Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals Media, Hailey Oldfield
