Thread by @CamilleLabchuk

At the Fisheries Committee, which will determine the fate of Bill S-203 in a few moments. Will the Liberals kill the whale & dolphin Bill? We’ll know soon. #cdnpoli

First Conservative amendment proposed seems to be at the behest of the Vancouver Aquarium, to deal with motherless whales that are found and may be rescued. Liberals vote against and it is defeated.

Second Conservative amendment is Marineland's amendment, re what happens when currently pregnant belugas give birth. They want an explicit exemption to protect their beluga farm.

They are debating this amendment now. Marineland tries to claim that it will be at risk of being criminalized if its currently pregnant cetaceans give birth. Justice Dept lawyer thinks they will be grandfathered in. My take: No prosecutor would go after Marineland for this.

Amendment is defeated. Liberals and NDP vote against, only CPC support it.

Next up is an amendment clearly proposed by the Vancouver Aquarium, they want an exemption to keep cetaceans in captivity in some sort of wild capacity for "conservation" programs. Defeated.

Now, another Marineland amendment. They made the bogus argument that Bill S-203 would criminalize people who go swim with dolphins in other countries. Conservatives are trying to "clarify" this. No discussion, defeated by Libs and NDP.

Conservatives now have another amendment. Similar to the last one about promoting whale performances. They are seeking a change to the mens rea involved. I predict this will also go down on defeat.

It is defeated. Liberals and NDP vote against it.

Now we are into the Liberal amendments. It is doe or die time. Liberal MP Pat Finnigan just withdrew his first amendment. And his second amendment. And his third amendment.

This is GOOD! If the Liberals are not proposing amendments, this means they may be backing down from an attempt to amend Bill S-203, which would likely kill it. Now, we are back to discussing another Conservative amendment.

Now the Conservatives are trying to amend the bill because of what the say is a discrepancy between the two different languages. CPC MP Rob Nicholson says they had former SCC judge Major look at this. (That's a surprise! Did Marineland foot the bill? Very curious.)

Liberal MP Colin Fraser responds that they have consulted legislative counsel who says there is NO discrepancy. Looks like the Liberals will vote down this amendment, too.

They are asking Dept of Justice lawyer questions about this. MP Rob Nicholson is very exercised about this. He is an MP in Niagara, where Marineland is located.

Andddd the amendment is defeated by Liberals and NDP.

Now on to the next Conservative amendment, seems to be proposed by the Vancouver Aquarium. They want to specify that a panel of vets & marine scientists get to make decisions about the conservation of a species, which is relevant to exemptions. It is defeated.

Liberal MP Pat Finnigan once again withdraws one of his amendments. Now on to another Conservative amendment to address Marineland's pregnant beluga farm. They want the bill to come into force in January 2021. This delay would allow Marineland to sell off their belugas to China.

Amendment defeated.

THE BILL CARRIES!!! The bill will go back to the House of Commons unamended! Whales & dolphins win!