Motion for a Return 17
October 20, 2008
M17. Ms Blakeman moved on behalf of Dr. Taft that an order of the Assembly do issue for a return showing a copy of all documents regarding zoo standards and their implementation and enforcement from January 1, 2003, to May 8, 2008.
Ms Blakeman: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. This is specifically around the changes. There have been some new standards that were implemented. I remember this because in 2003, I think, I was briefly the critic for this area, and there was a great deal of concern being expressed around the lack of monitoring and the lack of enforcement around those standards for zoos. In fact, the minister at the time had invited me as the critic to go with him to examine some of the particularly controversial sites, and I agreed to do that. Although I followed up several times with the minister over the summer, eventually they responded in the fall that they would not be taking those on-site visits and, in fact, would not be following through on that.
The frustration at the time was that the government could see that standards were not being enforced. They could see that there were problems. All kinds of people were supplying actual documentation of standards not being applied, of rules being broken, yet the government kept allowing them another six month renewal of their licence. It was very frustrating because then the same thing just went on for another six months. Someone would go out, the same standards would not be applied, and it just went round and around. I think that people who are advocates on behalf of the animals in these zoos were very frustrated that the government wouldn’t do anything.
We did get new standards. What we’re hearing now is that the government has been ramping up the enforcement on the municipal zoos, and I’m interested to see whether, in fact, we are having the same level of rigour applied on those that are outside of the municipal zoos and animal farms.
This is an issue that is very important to a number of people in Alberta, and I would like to see what is happening around monitoring and implementing those new standards and the enforcement on those that fall short of what’s expected. So I ask the government to please provide us with this information and to agree to our Motion for a Return 17. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
[…]
Ms Blakeman: Well, thank you for the support from the back there. Again, I guess I’m not really surprised that I’m hearing the Minister of Sustainable Resource Development singing from the same Public Affairs song sheet that the rest of the ministers did today, so I guess they all follow along with the same script.
It’s interesting, Mr. Speaker, because we ask for very specific details in written questions and motions for returns, and we’re told it’s too specific and nothing exists. When we widen it and ask for all documents and list the kinds of things we’re looking for, then we’re told that it’s too general and they can’t possibly give us everything that’s being alluded to. So it just seems that the government is really not very interested in giving us any of the information that we’re looking for no matter how we choose to word it although I do note that out of the 10 some-odd questions that were before us today, I think it was agreed to give us three, and they have rejected a series more, six more. So batting average is – what? – 3 to 6.
Mr. Chase: One-third.
Ms Blakeman: Yeah, one-third. So, yeah, pretty disappointing response from a government that’s supposed to be transparent and accountable. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
[Motion for a Return 17 lost]
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