SPCA would have given dogs what they lacked
Published Friday February 20th, 2009
Re: Animal cruelty
It has been a very sad time for those in our community who work so hard to protect animals from abuse such as that inflicted by Keith Barton when he killed five of his dogs and severely injured a sixth.
I was visiting the Fredericton SPCA last March when an inspector from the NBSPCA came into the shelter after visiting Barton's kennel. He was very upset and said the man hit the dogs over the head with a hammer. Apparently, Barton said he killed them to spare them going to the SPCA.
This was a selfish and cruel act. Had they been taken to the SPCA they would have received water, food, shelter and care from people who are truly concerned about the welfare of animals.
We must be a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves. Man domesticated animals thousands of years ago for his own benefit. With this came a responsibility to care for these animals that have come to rely upon us. The law may see an animal as property, but an animal is also a living creature entrusted to our care and protection.
Protection officers from the NBSPCA see similar cases of abuse almost every day. Much time and effort goes into dealing with such cases, requiring resources of time and money to proceed to court, only to find that the laws of our country and province do not address adequately the nature of the abuse.
Our courts have failed these dogs and many other animals like them. It seems all too obvious that it is time the laws related to animal cruelty be changed.
Bev Amos
Chickadee Cat Club
Nasonworth, N.B.
Why not defend these reproductive rights?
Re: Multiple births
I read with amusement that an investigation is well underway into whether the California mother of the octuplets and her physician followed guidelines set out by the "American Society for Reproductive Medicine."
This is a non-profit, voluntary organization that admits it has no authority to impose its views or to punish those who do not follow its guidelines. Without that authority, what could possibly be the point of the investigation and the very public criticism, except to harass, ridicule and attack the choice made by the mother in private consultation with her doctor?
It also left me wondering, where are all those pro-choice people who so adamantly claim that their only desire is to defend the reproductive rights of women and that a woman's decision should be left between herself and her doctor?
Why are pro-choice advocates not coming to the defence of the mother whose choice was to give life?
The irony does not escape me that the investigation and the current public attack on the mother and her physician come largely from those who claim to be pro-choice.
I have my own opinion and misgivings about how these children were conceived, yet I remain consistent in favour of life. On the other hand, if those who claim to be pro-choice only defend choice when it ends in the destruction of life, then in truth they are pro-abortion, anti-life and hypocrites.
Peter MacLean
Fredericton
Conduct a gender inclusive analysis
Re: Government stimulus plans
This letter is addressed to Finance Minister Victor Boudreau.
On Feb. 4, 11 organizations representing New Brunswick women released a common statement challenging the economic stimulus package the federal and provincial governments are putting forward.
The groups said these measures will worsen the level of inequality between women and men and are calling for gender inclusive analysis of budgets, laws and programs.
In a Canadian Press article called N.B. women ask for gender equality in government stimulus plans, published on Feb. 4, a government spokesperson says it is possible for the government to conduct a gender inclusive analysis on the impact of the provincial budget if requested by either a minister or the Executive Council Office.
Our organizations are formally asking you as the minister of finance to request a gender inclusive analysis of the provincial budget that will be deposed on March 17.
Michèle Caron
Regroupement féministe du Nouveau-Brunswick
Huberte Gautreau
N.B. Coalition for Pay Equity
Dee Dee Daigle
N.B. Child Care Coalition
Linda McCaustlin
Common Front for Social Justice
Debbie Lacelle
N.B. Federation of Labour
Women's Committee
Bethany Dykstra
Business and Professional Women's Club of Greater Moncton
GM should back out of sponsorship deal
Re: Vancouver Winter Olympics
I wonder how Canadian taxpayers are going to react if General Motors continues to be a major sponsor of the 2010 Vancouver winter games.
Might they not ask where this money in coming from?
Is it American stimulus money being ponied up by GM's Detroit headquarters and, if so, how are Washington and the American taxpayers going to receive the news their national debt is increasing to support a lavish festival outside the United States?
Not going to go down well would be my guess.
So where will GM get the money and justify spending it in a way that can only be associated in the most remote manner with the auto industry?
If not from Washington then it must be from Ottawa.
What will be their story - that this money is somehow not part of any stimulus plan, but rather from a special fund set aside for this matter? If the taxpayers in both Canada and the U.S. buy into that one, I would be very surprised, but I can see political self-interest buying into something like this with no difficultly whatsoever.
If GM has money for the Olympics, they have no right to seek a bailout from the taxpayers of either country. GM should pull out of their sponsorship agreements immediately.
Taxpayers outside British Columbia should reject any financial inclusion in Vancouver and British Columbia's lavish party in 2010. Ottawa has already pledged $20-25 million for security and that's more than enough.
The costs alone will preclude most Canadian and American taxpayers from attending and only the residents of Vancouver and the adjacent communities will enjoy the benefits of the Olympic facilities after the games are completed.
Vancouver wanted it to stroke its ego, so let them pay for it. It took 30 years for Montreal to pay down its Olympic debt. Let them do the same.
If that makes me selfish, so be it. There should be no federal money for any regional event under any circumstance.
James Thompson
Fredericton
Disabled
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How about truly making it inclusive. The economics go beyond gender and should also include immigrants, youth and seniors as groups suffering the same inequities.
True, long term solutions to systemic issues will only be achieved once special interest groups broaden their horizons to include others in the same or similar circumstance.
Maybe practice what you preach would help everyone.
How can you tell that the "current public attack on the mother and her physician come largely from those who claim to be pro-choice" Do they all wear name tags of some sort?
I can only go on the claims of those who have been publicly critical of the Octuplet’s mother & her physician.
The American Society for Reproductive Medicine claims a pro-choice stand in its own literature. A spokesman prior to the investigation “It should not have happened. Eight children should not have been conceived and born.”
The Medical Board of California, a government body, was also critical of the mother and doctor’s decisions in an interview on MSNBC. This agency’s own legislation states; “every person has the right to choose or refuse birth control and that every woman has the right to choose to bear a child or to obtain an abortion”
Then again maybe I hold this view because the media, by and large allowed only those who hold liberal, pro-abortion views access to their airwaves regarding this subject. I would continue, but by your comment I’m left with the impression that you are not interested in any view that does not agree with your own.