The petition calling for an end to live export of horses for slaughter has now been tabled in Parliament. Yesterday in the House of Commons, MP Alistair MacGregor presented the petition, which was initiated by Jann Arden and signed by almost 40,000 Canadians.
Canada’s export of live horses to slaughterhouses in Japan is a national shame. Thousands of live horses are exported from Alberta and Manitoba every year to be killed overseas. Their journey is nothing short of torturous. These gentle giants are forced to endure long flights confined in tiny crates. The entire trip can take more than 24 hours, during which they have no opportunity to eat food, drink water, or rest. The conditions are stressful, dangerous, and sometimes deadly. On one recent flight, three horses collapsed after being transported for longer than the legally-allowable time limit.
The Liberal Party committed to banning the practice during the 2021 election. In his December 16, 2021 mandate letter to the Minister, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau directed the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food to make good on the commitment and finally put an end to the practice. Despite the promises, due to the Minister’s inaction, horses continue to be shipped out of Canada to Japan to be slaughtered and eaten as raw horse sashimi.
Next Steps
Now that Petition e-4190 has been submitted, the government has 45 days to table an official response. During this time, help keep up the pressure by using our online form to email Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Minister of Agriculture Marie-Claude Bibeau and demand they make horses an immediate priority and ban exports for slaughter.
Banner: Canadian Horse Defence Coalition
