DO NOT APPEAL COURT DECISION
DO NOT APPEAL COURT DECISION
The Issue
On January 2, 2019, In the Superior Court of Justice (Jeffrey Bogaerts vs The Attorney General of Ontario) Justice Timothy Minnema found the policing powers, granted by the Provincial Government to the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA), breached the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom.
The decision by Justice Minnema is the first substantive action to benefit animals in Ontario and their humans since 1955.
In 2009 the Liberal government supported a lack of oversight of the OSPCA, a registered charity, by increasing the OSPCA's powers including warrantless entry powers without accountability or transparency. At the time the late Peter Worthington, Editor at Toronto Sun, wrote about this conflict of interest and predicted that a charity with police authority, would lead to an abuse of power. Over 200,000 signatures on petitions were submitted to Dalton McGuinty to protest. Experts and stakeholders, addressed government committees to outline potential problems. In November 2010 former PC MPP Frank Klees tabled a Resolution to bring accountability to OSPCA and separate their charity and policing functions. All efforts to bring about legislative changes faced the same Liberal roadblocks
OSPCA's abuse of power is notorious and the stories endless, from harassing and extorting farmers and pet owners, to unjustifiably seizing animals.
Premier Ford has publicly stated he is an animal lover and promised to correct an animal welfare system which is antiquated and broken. We hope the Ford government will use this opportunity, as a clear indication of their willingness to help protect the animals of Ontario, by allowing the court decision by Justice Minnema to stand.
We respectfully request that the Ford government and the Office of the Attorney General does not move forward with an appeal in this case.
This request is endorsed and supported by the following groups:
Adopt A Pet
AdoptaPet Pet Rescue
Animal Rescue and Adoption Organization of Canada
Anti-DogFighting Campaign Worldwide Organization
Cat Chance Sarnia
Cause for Paws Toronto
Ground Search and Rescue KW
Hollys Hope
Hershey Anti BSL Group
Miss Dixie's Food and Supply Bank for Rescues
Ontario Coalition Against Breed-Specific Legislation
Ontario Pit Bull Co-Op
PAWS4Durham
PAWS-4-ONTARIO
RAAW
Save Ontario Dogs
United Paws
VOCA
The Issue
On January 2, 2019, In the Superior Court of Justice (Jeffrey Bogaerts vs The Attorney General of Ontario) Justice Timothy Minnema found the policing powers, granted by the Provincial Government to the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA), breached the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom.
The decision by Justice Minnema is the first substantive action to benefit animals in Ontario and their humans since 1955.
In 2009 the Liberal government supported a lack of oversight of the OSPCA, a registered charity, by increasing the OSPCA's powers including warrantless entry powers without accountability or transparency. At the time the late Peter Worthington, Editor at Toronto Sun, wrote about this conflict of interest and predicted that a charity with police authority, would lead to an abuse of power. Over 200,000 signatures on petitions were submitted to Dalton McGuinty to protest. Experts and stakeholders, addressed government committees to outline potential problems. In November 2010 former PC MPP Frank Klees tabled a Resolution to bring accountability to OSPCA and separate their charity and policing functions. All efforts to bring about legislative changes faced the same Liberal roadblocks
OSPCA's abuse of power is notorious and the stories endless, from harassing and extorting farmers and pet owners, to unjustifiably seizing animals.
Premier Ford has publicly stated he is an animal lover and promised to correct an animal welfare system which is antiquated and broken. We hope the Ford government will use this opportunity, as a clear indication of their willingness to help protect the animals of Ontario, by allowing the court decision by Justice Minnema to stand.
We respectfully request that the Ford government and the Office of the Attorney General does not move forward with an appeal in this case.
This request is endorsed and supported by the following groups:
Adopt A Pet
AdoptaPet Pet Rescue
Animal Rescue and Adoption Organization of Canada
Anti-DogFighting Campaign Worldwide Organization
Cat Chance Sarnia
Cause for Paws Toronto
Ground Search and Rescue KW
Hollys Hope
Hershey Anti BSL Group
Miss Dixie's Food and Supply Bank for Rescues
Ontario Coalition Against Breed-Specific Legislation
Ontario Pit Bull Co-Op
PAWS4Durham
PAWS-4-ONTARIO
RAAW
Save Ontario Dogs
United Paws
VOCA
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Petition created on January 25, 2019