As of Jan. 2016, Marineland Canada will be subject to new marine mammal standards of care and regulations, addressing the very concerns revealed by former employees in 2012. Included in the laws are water quality parameters, veterinarian qualifications, lighting and venting requirements, stimulation programs as well as the addition of animal welfare committees. Much of the standards will require a capital investment from Marineland, so 2016 should prove an interesting year for the beleaguered park. Details can be found here - http://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/090060 HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF? - A recent CANADALAND podcast interview with whistleblower Phil Demers is now under threat of legal action by Marineland of Canada for revisiting the issue of animal mistreatment at the park. A published exchange between Marineland and CANADALAND provides great insight to the extent of which Marineland is trying to censor whistleblowers and journalists. That interview can be listened to here - http://canadalandshow.com/podcast/everyone-loves-marineland MOST EXCITING YET: Senator Wilfrid Moore recently tabled the Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act (Bill S-203), essentially making whale and dolphin captivity a thing of the past in Canada. More details and a call to action will be provided in the coming weeks, but you can tweet your support by tweeting "@JustinTrudeau please support @SenWillyMoore's bill to end captivity of whales & dolphins in Canada! #freewillymoore #cdnpoli" WHAT A YEAR! As 2015 comes to a close, let's remember that Marineland's former employees are still the targets of SLAPP lawsuits for revealing the mistreatment of animals that inspired the legislative changes listed above. A new crowd-funded legal defense campaign has begun at www.SaveSmooshi.com Your support is greatly appreciated! We're winning!