The following quotation was taken from the Pet peeves editorial that appeared in the March 13th edition of the Winnipeg Free Press. It is related to Manitoba's Bill 5- Amendments to The Wildlife Act.

"The government should not be stampeded by complaints from owners of exotic animals. It should use the occasion of second reading to debate the merits of introducing, if found necessary, regulations governing ownership and trade in these creatures too."

I am strongly opposed to this misguided advice because the federal government already has legislation which provincial legislation should not contradict. It can also be interpreted as an attempt to silence the public in this matter. Importation of endangered or threatened exotic animals for commercial purposes is strictly prohibited or regulated as defined by WAPPRIITA (Wild Animal & Plant Protection and Regulation of International & Interprovincial Trade Act). For example, there has been no legal importation of wild-caught parrots for commercial trade in over a decade. However parrots that were previously imported legally as well as their domestic-bred offspring are allowed and so is their trade within Canada. In fact, domestic breeding is encouraged and recognized as a valuable component of exotic wildlife conservation by our federal government.

We have already experienced in Canada what can happen as a consequence of uninformed politicians passing legislation that they know little about. In 1999, the city of Kitchener Ontario passed an extremely restrictive animal control bylaw in spite of almost unanimous opposition to it at a public hearing. Essentially, the politicians ignored the will of the people and voted according to what many people perceive to be a hidden agenda. In this case, the hearing was just a farce that is now a matter of public record. We cannot allow a repeat of that to happen in Manitoba.

The web site - http://www.parrotscanada.org contains a very comprehensive series of articles, letters and other information pertaining to exotic animal legislation in Canada. This is where all interested parties can get the facts. This web site contains valuable historical information as well as specific advice on dealing with restrictive animal legislation. It also contains information about the hidden danger in Manitoba Bill 5. Everyone involved in the exotic pet industry (manufacturers, retailers, and veterinarians) as well as owners and breeders of exotic animals should make every effort to view and understand this information. I believe many livelihoods will depend on it. I know mine does, and I'm prepared to do everything possible within the law to protect it.

Dennis Saydak - Director Parrot Association of Canada