[nagdu] Service Animal Protection Legislation

Doug Parisian eggmann at mts.net
Fri Dec 10 14:31:11 UTC 2010


First, you're welcome.

Second, I've already written about the problems of producing a text file 
from this PDF file and the size is what it is.  If you want to make up a 
text version, it's a lot of work; be my guest!

On this one, the barn door has already been opened so to speak and the horse 
is out.  Though I can't see myself having anything further to send, perhaps 
folks having attachments greater than some arbitrary limit, and not able to 
shrink the file, might indicate that such is the case, what the file is 
about, then Madam moderator could make the final choice. once cleared for 
distribution, the size should be indicated and those on dial-up (what's a 
dial?) could pop a beer, take the Doug out, etc while waiting for the email.

Doug: Thoughts from a fractured skull!

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Marion Gwizdala" <blind411 at verizon.net>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, December 10, 2010 7:59 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Service Animal Protection Legislation


> Doug,
>    Thank you for sending this to the list. BTW, the list does allow for 
> attachments. . That being said, please keep any attached files small (les 
> than 1 MB or so), as some subscribers are using a dial-up or other slow 
> servor that might cause them challenges during download.
>
> fraternally yours,
> Marion
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Doug Parisian" <eggmann at mts.net>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2010 12:33 AM
> Subject: [nagdu] Service Animal Protection Legislation
>
>
> Well gentle leaders (whoops, readers) I have a PDF copy of the Bill, 
> Passed by our Provincince of manitoba about 14 months ago.  And, gosh 
> darn, I had a pretty important paw in the whole thing, though I am 
> purposefully not involved in any of the disabled groups hereabouts.  In 
> fact, a few of there key folks therein who, boohoohoo, don't like me and I 
> learned about the whole process through the back door.  Rather than to 
> break the thing by some reality-based concerns, I thought it better that 
> it go through and any ammendments can come later.
>
> Unfortunately, this PDF file exported terribly into text, like as in one 
> or two words per line and it is a five page document.  However, I do have 
> the speech made by the Member of the Legislative assembly who spoke on and 
> about the bill before the final vote which I will include.  If anyone 
> wants the actual act, let me know since I doubt that the list will accept 
> attachments, and understandably so.  Meantime, I'll see what my outdated 
> K1000 will do with the PDF.
>
> The following is a little long but I think, at least uplifting.  The text 
> begins below
>
> ********************
>
> LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA
> September 23, 2009
> Ms. Sharon Blady (Kirkfield Park): Mr. Speaker, I
> move, seconded by the member from Wellington,
> that Bill No. 238, The Service Animal Protection
> Act; Loi sur la protection des animaux d'assistance,
> as amended and reported from the Standing
> Committee on Social and Economic Development,
> be concurred in and be now read for a third time and
> passed.
> Mr. Speaker: It has been moved by the honourable
> member for Kirkfield Park, seconded by the
> honourable member for Wellington (Ms. Marcelino),
> that Bill No. 238, The Service Animals Protection
> Act, as amended and reported from the Standing
> Committee on Social and Economic Development,
> be concurred in and be now read for a third time and
> passed.
> Ms. Blady: Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today
> and speak on the third reading of Bill 238, The
> Service Animal Protection Act.
> Mr. Speaker, this will be first-in-Canada
> legislation that recognizes the valuable role that
> service animals play in our society, whether they are
> in private or public service. This legislation makes it
> an offence to interfere with a service animal, and
> such interference can not only impede the animal's
> ability to focus and concentrate at the moment, and
> therefore undermine the safety of the human and
> animal team, but it can also undermine the animal's
> training, and in some cases require the costly
> retraining or replacement of these animals.
> Mr. Speaker, that training can take years and
> cost tens of thousands of dollars not to mention the
> time lost during retraining or replacement of these
> animals. This legislation gives owners and handlers
> peace of mind as well as previously unavailable
> means by which they can seek compensation for
> such damages to their service animals.
> It also allows for fines that are in keeping with
> other related animal legislation. An amendment at
> committee stage now also provides a justice with the
> opportunity to order attendance at obedience training
> where interference has involved another animal.
> This amendment was the result of co-operation
> and information from the service animal community
> who would like to see logical and practical
> consequences that could potentially prevent future
> incidences of interference.
> Mr. Speaker, it is my hope that this legislation
> can be part of educating Manitobans about the role
> that these animals play in our society and to
> encourage a growing respect for these animals.
> Information on the government Web site will be the
> first step in this direction to educating Manitobans,
> and I look forward to working with the many
> supporters of this legislation to continue to raise
> awareness about the etiquette associated with service
> animals and, again, the vital role they play in each of
> our lives whether we realize it or not.
> These animals, when they work in private
> service, work as part of a human-animal team that
> makes life much more enriched and easy for those
> that have often visual impairment or hearing
> impairment or other medical conditions that can be
> mediated by a service animal, and their contributions
> to society are enriched by their partnership with their
> service animal.
> Ms. Marilyn Brick, Acting Speaker, in the Chair
> In public service, these animals protect us every
> day in ways that we are often unaware of, whether
> this is service animals that are trained to sniff for
> bombs, for drugs, or service animals that are
> employed in the investigation of crime, or more
> touching, in many respects, to the one that we most
> often think of, is in search and rescue where the role
> of a service animal can mean life and death for loved
> ones.
> Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank those who
> have collaborated in bringing this legislation this far.
> There are too many to name them all individually
> here but I would like to acknowledge a few. We'd
> like to begin with Ms. Yvonne Peters for bringing
> this issue to attention and for her ongoing support of
> this legislation.
> I would also like to thank members of the board
> and staff of various organizations within the city and
> across Canada including CNIB, the Society for
> Manitobans with Disabilities, the Manitoba League
> of Persons with Disabilities, the Canadian Council of
> the Blind, Manitoba division, Independent Living
> Resource Centre, and the Manitoba Deaf
> Association.
> Also important in their support were the Office
> of the Fire Commissioner, the Winnipeg Police
> Service, Brandon Police Service, the RCMP,
> Manitoba Conservation, the Manitoba Police Canine
> Association and the United Fire Fighters of
> Winnipeg.
> I would also like to thank, specifically, Sergeant
> David Bessason who has afforded me the
>
> Page 19
> September 23, 2009
> LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA
> 3321
> opportunity to go and watch police canine training
> sessions.
> * (14:50)
> I would also like to personally thank Janet Hunt
> and Vic Pereira and their wonderful canine
> companions for the friendship that they have
> extended to me during this process and the
> opportunity to meet and interact with their amazing
> service animals.
> I would also like to thank Doug Parisian, who
> made many interesting contributions along the way,
> most significantly working to inform me about issues
> around retraining and his work towards the
> amendment of this bill and his ongoing support of
> the bill.
> There are so many things I would like to say
> about this legislation and the process, but the most
> important thing is I really appreciate the opportunity
> to have worked with so many wonderful people to
> bring in legislation that is, in many respects, long
> overdue for those in the service animal community;
> again, whether they have a personal service animal
> that works with them in private service or whether
> they are one in-of the many peace officers in our
> province that, again, daily work to protect us with
> their service animals at their side.
> These are amazing animals. The work that they
> do and the contribution they can-they make to us on
> a daily basis is immeasurable, and the least that we
> can do for these animals and their human partners is
> to afford them the peace of mind that this legislation
> provides.
> So, in closing, I look forward to continuing these
> relationships as we move forward with educating
> Manitobans and Canadians about this issue, and I
> look forward to this legislation becoming the first in
> Canada to recognize the valuable work of private and
> public service animals. And, most importantly, I look
> forward to its unanimous passage today and to the
> prospect of colleagues in other jurisdictions bringing
> forward similar legislation across Canada.
> Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker.
> Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): Yes, Madam
> Deputy Speaker, I, too, just want to add some
> comments from the Manitoba Liberal Party's
> perspective on this bill.
> We support the bill in terms of what it is doing.
> In fact, we recognize the value of contributions that
> service animals provide, not only our province but
> provinces across Canada, and I think whether it's a
> disaster, it's an airport, all sorts of circumstances in
> which we see service animals providing a service to
> the population, that we need to acknowledge the
> efforts of all those individuals involved in protecting
> us in many different ways.
> And there are a lot of special animals that
> provide services, everything from a police service, to
> customs, to even-you know, we can make reference
> to those that would assist the blind. There's many
> ways and many roles that animals play in today's
> society, and, as the member that spoke before me
> made reference in terms of the people that were
> involved in assisting with the legislation, we would
> extend our appreciation to all of those that played a
> role in bringing forward Bill 238 to this date and,
> ultimately, we look forward to seeing its passage.
> Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker.
> The Acting Speaker (Ms. Brick): Is this House
> ready for the question?
> Some Honourable Members: Question.
> The Acting Speaker (Ms. Brick): The question
> before the House is concurrence and third reading of
> The Service Animals Protection Act.
> Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the
> motion? [Agreed]
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