April 12, 2008

Sibling rivalry

Talk about throwing your grandmother under a bus: Dalton McGuinty's parents owned and loved a pit bull.

If a politician is willing to ignore the experts and pander to a lynch mob, it's time to vote for someone else.


Yes, that Dalton McGuinty, the current Premier of the province of Ontario, Canada — the province where any dog "substantially similar" to a "pit bull" can be confiscated and put to death based on nothing more than its appearance.

Was the "McGuinty family pit bull terrier" [as the dog is described in, of all things, a 'let's quit for the holidays' petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in 1987] a chained-up, dangerous, unloved backyard dog? Apparently not: Dalton McGuinty Sr., serving at the time as an MPP, considered this pit bull such an important part of the family that the dog is mentioned by name — Tory McGuinty, so help me — and his or her pawprint was added to the petition.

Poor Dalton McGuinty, Sr. must be spinning in his grave at the current state of affairs in Ontario. Is this what it takes for a politician to stay in office: support for the eradication of several breeds of dog [and all dogs "substantially similar"], even if it might mean confiscation and death for an elderly parent's beloved companion, were Dalton Sr. and Tory McGuinty still alive?

Ambrose Bierce called politics "a strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles," and seldom are politicians less adept at maintaining a facade of integrity and intellectual honesty than when the topic is banning breeds of dogs. Pay close attention, voters, because BSL is a great litmus test: if a politician is willing to ignore the experts and pander to a breed-bashing lynch mob, it's time to vote for someone else.

Hat tip to Barking Mad, whose blog featured this important news today:
Hello everyone,

Our appeal for the Constitutional Challenge of Bill 132 in Ontario, will be heard on Mon Sept 15 and Tues Sept 16 [2008] beginning at 10:30 a.m. at the Court of Appeal for Ontario, Osgoode Hall, 130 Queen St. West in Toronto.
Room to be determined the Friday before.

We just want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has stepped up to the plate and supported the Legal Challenge of one of the most significant threats to dog ownership in Canada.

The response to the CKC fund-raising initiative has been overwhelming!

As we move forward into the home stretch, funds are still desperately needed to continue.

Everything is greatly appreciated!

On behalf of the Banned-Aid Coalition

THANKS!!

Cathy Prothro

President AmStaff Club of Canada
Sec/Treas Dog Legislation Council Of Canada
Treasurer Banned-Aid Coalition
Ontario, Canada's BSL isn't just "one of the most significant threats to dog ownership in Canada." It's a threat to my dogs and a threat to yours, no matter what type of dog you own. Banning breeds anywhere threatens all dogs everywhere. Please click on this link to help fight the good fight in Ontario, Canada. Do it for your dog. Do it for Tory McGuinty.

2 comments:

No BSL said...

Thank you.
We are so close.
I remember the elder McGuinty and after his untimely passing there was great hope for his young namesake.
The man I remember would not be proud of what his son has done.

Anonymous said...

We've had our Appeal date for awhile now and feel we are going in with very strong arguments.

We usually don't get the room number until a couple of days beforehand but the building address won't change.

At that time, I'll put a notice on my blog to keep everybody in the loop.