Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Great News from Bonnie Dawson, NWT Candidate

(Received May 26 - Terrific work, Bonnie!!!)

Yesterday I received the mailed hard copy confirmation letter from MACA Min. Robert McLeod's office, date stamped May 17, 2011. Same letter I had received via email on May 18th.


New Dog Act came into effect on May 15, 2011.

NWT cannot pat itself on the back just yet. Enactment of the new Dog Act moved NWT to Third Last place for Best Place to Abuse Animals. Still nothing to be proud of, a minor improvement at best.

It is most encouraging to see that after three years of my hard work (2008-2011) pressuring the GNWT I have won a Victory for the Dogs here in the NWT. While it is not the Comprehensive Animal Protection Act that I have been fighting for, it is an "interim measure until a comprehensive Animal Protection Act" can be legislated. The motion was brought forward and carried in the Legislative Assembly on March 4, 2011 (Hansard) to continue working towards a comprehensive act, which means that the new government resulting from the Fall election are to continue working towards that goal. I want to see a Comprehensive Animal Protection Act similar to that of Ontario (The Best in Canada). Note that I provided every Canadian Provincial Act to the GNWT for them to draw upon as a Template, as well as graphic pictures, incidents as reported by the media and countless research documents on the Link Between Animal Cruelty and Human Violence. My hope is that the GNWT will adopt an Act closely like that of Ontario ..the Best in Canada.

The decades of unprosecuted and continuing violence against animals should now hopefully come to an end. With the New Dog Act in effect and combined with the Federal Criminal Code perpetrators of neglect, cruelty and violence against dogs should be properly charged and face the consequences. There is no viable or acceptable excuse that can be given for not charging and prosecuting these individuals to the fullest extent of the Territorial and Federal Law.

I will continue my work towards the Comprehensive Animal Protection Act, will continue to monitor all cases of violence against animals in the NWT and I will continue to draw Global attention to these incidents. Until such time as a Comprehensive Act is legislated in the NWT the territory will remain in the bottom tier compared to the rest of Canada. Until such time as violators/offenders in animal cruelty cases are charged and successfully face the justice deserved for their acts of violence against animals the territory will remain in the bottom tier.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Fifth place candidate glad she ran

May 4, 2011

Yellowknife, N.W.T. - The fifth place finisher for the Western Arctic seat has mixed reactions to this week's federal election.

Bonnie Dawson of the Animal Alliance Environment Voters' Party got 87 votes at the polls in the NWT, garnering 0.6 per cent of the vote -- more than she and likely many others expected.

"I'm quite happy with the number of votes I got. I'm rather surprised. I knew there were going to be people voting for me, but I was surprised. So I'm happy about that. But I would've liked to have seen a better outcome as far as change in government and leadership."

Dawson said even on election day she was getting emails from people asking her position on topics like animal research and the commercial seal hunt on the East Coast.

She believes that by running in the election, she's had a better opportunity to speak about animal and environmental rights and hopes more people will be aware and educated on the issues.

One such issue, Conservative tax breaks for big business, ignores the reality of how the oil sands are affecting the entire food chain, she said.

"They're not worried about people dying in Fort Chip dying of these cancers. They're not worried about the land and vegetation that is contaminated and the wildlife that eats that contaminated vegetation. In turn, the people eat that contaminated meat. They're not worried about that."

Dawson, from Hay River, is known for lobbying the Government of Northwest Territories for improved animal rights legislation, which resulted in a recently updated Dog Act.

She said she'll continue pushing for a comprehensive animal protection bill to include more than dogs.

CJCD Mix 100 News
http://www.mix100.ca/news_and_sports/news/Local/11/05/4/Fifth-place-candidate-glad-she-ran

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Election Results

Animal rights candidate happy she pushed for change

Kim Zarzour May 02, 2011 - 9:20 PM

Not expecting move to 24 Sussex, Liz White still pleased she challenged environment minister on issuesLiz White doesn’t need to wait until the results come in tonight to know she didn’t win, but she’s fine with that.“I don’t think I’ll be moving to 24 Sussex Dr. or anything exciting like that,” said the Thornhill candidate for the Animal Alliance Environment Voters party, while she prepared for her election night party.She planned to celebrate Monday night at a downtown hotel with six of the seven candidates her fringe party fielded this election because she’s happy her group was able to raise the issues no one else wanted to discuss.

Ms White, who lives in Toronto, chose to run in Thornhill to take on Conservative candidate, and Minister of the Environment, Peter Kent.

“I honestly don’t think they’ll vote for me, but I hope they don’t vote for Kent.

“We invest huge amounts of money fighting all the stuff he does,” she says, pointing to activities like the recent cormorant cull at Point Pelee.

While she doesn’t expect to put a big dent in Mr. Kent’s campaign, she says she would definitely run against the environment minister again.

“Change doesn’t come from the mainstream,” she says. “Those who campaigned for the women vote were looked upon as extremists, crazy, fringe, all the things i get called. But change comes from people at the edges.”

http://www.yorkregion.com/website/article/1001496--animal-rights-candidate-happy-she-pushed-for-change

***

A big thank you to everyone who supports the ideals upon which the Animal Alliance Environment Voters Party are founded. More and more people are acknowleding that things must change for animals and the enironment, as evidenced by Elizabeth May's historical win.

Official results from the Elections Canada website are as follows:

Marie Crawford (Toronto - Danforth) - 476 votes
Bonnie Dawson (Western Arctic) - 87 votes
Karen Levenson (Guelph) - 123 votes
Simon Luisi (Davenport) - 128 votes
Yvonne Mackie (Newmarket - Aurora) - 182 votes
Anna Maria Valastro (London North Centre) - 236 votes
Liz White (Thornhill) - 219 votes

The cormorant cull on Middle Island (Point Pelee National Park) contines over the next two weeks. Liz has been back and forth between Toronto and Middle Island where she has been observing the slaughter by Parks staff. In spite of the obvious disturbance to the other nesting bird populations (Great Blue Herons in particular), Environment Canada has determined that there has been no violation under the Migratory Birds Convention Act or Regulations. Very disappointing, although not surprising.

Lia and the AAEVPC crew