Speech (House debate)

{
    "time": "2009-10-01 18:05:00",
    "attribution": {
        "en": "Mr. Garry Breitkreuz (Yorkton\u2014Melville, CPC)",
        "fr": ""
    },
    "content": {
        "en": "<p data-HoCid=\"1606600\" data-originallang=\"en\">Mr. Speaker, Canadian activism on the issue of animal welfare could detract from the pursuit of these clear Canadian priorities, keeping in mind that the process of lobbying for support and negotiating texts at the United Nations can be a lengthy and energy consuming process.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1606601\" data-originallang=\"en\">For these reasons, the government prefers to see the important issue of animal welfare addressed by international institutions other than the United Nations and not be diminished in their importance, institutions which are already focused on this issue and have made valuable progress on this issue already.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1606602\" data-originallang=\"en\">The primary such institution is the World Organisation for Animal Health, of which Canada is an active and founding member. In this capacity, Canada already actively works to coordinate its activities with those of the international community, including through the development and implementation of international standards.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1606603\" data-originallang=\"en\">It is appropriate for Canada to continue its approach on animal welfare issues through this existing framework, rather than proposing a new mandated area of responsibility for the United Nations. This is not our role in the international community of member nations.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1606604\" data-originallang=\"en\">The government believes strongly that the World Organisation for Animal Health should continue to be the primary established international body for developing and improving science-based animal welfare standards.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1606605\" data-originallang=\"en\">The government supports the principle and general spirit of the motion and recognizes the laudable goals of a universal declaration on animal welfare. However, government support of this motion must be on condition that reference to the United Nations be removed as this issue is best dealt with by an existing organization responsible for animal welfare issues, the World Organisation for Animal Health.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1606606\" data-originallang=\"en\">Furthermore, I have to raise the important fact that any universal declaration on animal welfare could potentially carry long-term consequences, which we are not today in a position to predict. Because there is at present no accepted international text for such a declaration, such a text must first be negotiated by the appropriate international body. The final document could conceivably include provisions that the current proponents would never have intended, or they could include provisions that would be contrary to the national interests of Canada and the well-being of Canadians.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1606607\" data-originallang=\"en\">It would be unwise for Canada to commit itself to adopting a certain document under international negotiation before being fully able to assess that document's implications on domestic law. For that reason, the government could only support this motion if it were made clear that we support the underlying principle, but that we maintain the flexibility to be able to judge the final document based on its content rather than on its spirit.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1606608\" data-originallang=\"en\">This position is consistent with our government's approach to this issue in 2007, when we supported, in principle, the development of a universal declaration on animal welfare at the World Organisation for Animal Health. We continue to support this goal.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1606609\" data-originallang=\"en\">I therefore move that Motion No. 354 be amended as follows:</p>\n<blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"1606610\" data-originallang=\"en\"> That, the words \u201cat the United Nations as well as\u201d be removed, that the words \u201cand adoption\u201d be removed, and that the words \u201cin principle\u201d be inserted in its place. </p>\n</blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"1606611\" data-originallang=\"en\">The motion would then read as follows:</p>\n<blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"1606612\" data-originallang=\"en\"> That, in the opinion of the House, the government should support, in principle, the development of a Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare at all relevant international organizations and forums. </p>\n</blockquote>",
        "fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"1606600\" data-originallang=\"en\">Monsieur le Pr\u00e9sident, les demandes des activistes canadiens concernant le bien-\u00eatre des animaux risquent d'\u00eatre nuisibles en ce qui concerne ces priorit\u00e9s canadiennes clairement \u00e9tablies. Il ne faut pas oublier qu'il peut \u00eatre long et exigeant de recueillir des appuis et de n\u00e9gocier des textes aux Nations Unies.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1606601\" data-originallang=\"en\">Le gouvernement pr\u00e9f\u00e8re donc oeuvrer au sein d'autres institutions internationales, plut\u00f4t que les Nations Unies, au sujet du bien-\u00eatre des animaux, une question dont il ne souhaite aucunement diminuer l'importance. Ces autres institutions concentrent d\u00e9j\u00e0 leurs efforts sur cette question et ont fait des progr\u00e8s utiles.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1606602\" data-originallang=\"en\">La principale institution concern\u00e9e est l'Organisation mondiale de la sant\u00e9 animale, dont le Canada est un membre fondateur actif. Le Canada s'y emploie d\u00e9j\u00e0 \u00e0 coordonner ses activit\u00e9s avec celles des autres membres de la communaut\u00e9 internationale, notamment pour ce qui est de l'\u00e9laboration et de la mise en oeuvre de normes internationales.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1606603\" data-originallang=\"en\">Le Canada a int\u00e9r\u00eat \u00e0 continuer de traiter la question du bien-\u00eatre des animaux dans le cadre existant plut\u00f4t que de proposer de donner un nouveau mandat aux Nations Unies. Ce n'est pas le r\u00f4le que nous devons jouer au sein de la communaut\u00e9 des pays membres.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1606604\" data-originallang=\"en\">Le gouvernement croit fermement que l'Organisation mondiale de la sant\u00e9 animale devrait continuer d'\u00eatre la principale organisation internationale pour \u00e9laborer et am\u00e9liorer des normes ayant un fondement scientifique, au sujet du bien-\u00eatre des animaux.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1606605\" data-originallang=\"en\">Le gouvernement appuie le principe et l\u2019esprit de la motion. Il reconna\u00eet les objectifs louables de la proposition d\u2019adopter une d\u00e9claration universelle pour le bien-\u00eatre animal. Toutefois, l\u2019appui du gouvernement \u00e0 cette motion est conditionnel au retrait de la mention des Nations Unies puisqu'il existe d\u00e9j\u00e0 un organisme responsable du bien-\u00eatre animal, l\u2019Organisation mondiale de la sant\u00e9 animale.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1606606\" data-originallang=\"en\">En outre, je dois souligner un fait important. Toute d\u00e9claration universelle sur le bien-\u00eatre animal pourrait entra\u00eener des cons\u00e9quences \u00e0 long terme que nous ne sommes pas en mesure de pr\u00e9dire aujourd'hui. Comme il n\u2019existe actuellement aucune d\u00e9claration internationale \u00e0 ce sujet, le texte d\u2019une telle d\u00e9claration doit d\u2019abord faire l\u2019objet de discussions avec l\u2019organisme international vis\u00e9. Le document final pourrait comporter des dispositions auxquelles les instigateurs de cette proposition n\u2019ont m\u00eame pas pens\u00e9 et pourrait m\u00eame comporter des dispositions contraires aux int\u00e9r\u00eats nationaux du Canada et au bien-\u00eatre des Canadiens.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1606607\" data-originallang=\"en\">Il serait malavis\u00e9, de la part du Canada, de s\u2019engager \u00e0 entreprendre des n\u00e9gociations internationales en vue de l\u2019adoption d\u2019un certain document avant d\u2019\u00eatre en mesure d\u2019\u00e9valuer correctement toutes les r\u00e9percussions qu'il pourrait avoir sur les lois de notre pays. Pour cette raison, le gouvernement ne peut appuyer cette motion que s\u2019il est clair que nous appuyons le principe de base mais que nous conservons la libert\u00e9 d\u2019action qui nous permettra d\u2019\u00e9valuer non pas seulement l'esprit du document final, mais bien son libell\u00e9 exact.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1606608\" data-originallang=\"en\">Notre position est la m\u00eame que celle que notre gouvernement a adopt\u00e9e sur cette question en 2007, quand nous avons donn\u00e9 notre accord de principe \u00e0 l'\u00e9laboration d\u2019une d\u00e9claration universelle pour le bien-\u00eatre animal par l\u2019Organisation mondiale de la sant\u00e9 animale. Nous sommes toujours favorables \u00e0 cet objectif.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1606609\" data-originallang=\"en\">Par cons\u00e9quent, je propose que la motion n<sup>o</sup> 354 soit modifi\u00e9e ainsi:</p>\n<blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"1606610\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Que les mots \u00ab aux Nations Unies et \u00bb soient supprim\u00e9s, que les mots \u00ab et l\u2019adoption \u00bb soit supprim\u00e9s et que les mots \u00ab en principe \u00bb soient ajout\u00e9s. </p>\n</blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"1606611\" data-originallang=\"en\">La motion deviendrait donc:</p>\n<blockquote><p data-HoCid=\"1606612\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Que, de l\u2019avis de la Chambre, le gouvernement devrait appuyer, en principe, l\u2019\u00e9laboration d\u2019une d\u00e9claration universelle pour le bien-\u00eatre animal dans tous les forums et organismes internationaux pertinents. </p>\n</blockquote>"
    },
    "url": "/debates/2009/10/1/garry-breitkreuz-1/",
    "politician_url": "/politicians/garry-breitkreuz/",
    "politician_membership_url": "/politicians/memberships/1541/",
    "procedural": false,
    "source_id": "2875785",
    "h1": {
        "en": "Private Members' Business",
        "fr": ""
    },
    "h2": {
        "en": "Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare",
        "fr": ""
    },
    "document_url": "/debates/2009/10/1/",
    "related": {
        "document_speeches_url": "/speeches/?document=%2Fdebates%2F2009%2F10%2F1%2F"
    }
}