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e-5199 (Animals)

E-petition
Initiated by Shannon Thurston from St. Anicet, Quebec

Original language of petition: English

Petition to the House of Commons

Whereas:
  • Canadian goat breeders are facing a critical situation due to recent changes by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to the import policy for small ruminant male breeding animals, specifically the elimination of Option 2C;
  • Option 2C was the only feasible route for introducing new breeding genetics into Canadian herds, and its removal jeopardizes herd sustainability;
  • Option 2C was essential for improving herd genetics by allowing the import of new bloodlines from the United States under strict health protocols;
  • Its removal has led to inbreeding and associated genetic issues, threatening the overall viability of Canadian goat farming;
  • The removal of Option 2C was not due to increased disease risk, as no outbreaks have been linked to imported animals, and scrapie transmission science remains unchanged; and
  • This unnecessary policy change was not required by trading partners and was strongly opposed by the industry.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:
1. Urge the CFIA to provide scientific evidence justifying the removal of Option 2C, demonstrating any increased risk of scrapie transmission from the importation of male breeding animals from the United States, which is further ahead in achieving negligible risk status;
2. Implement a cost-effective, industry-wide program for genetic-based scrapie resistance testing to identify and promote resistant genetics in goats, supporting a sustainable and resilient goat industry; and
3. Recognize scrapie-resistant genetics in goats and revise import policies for breeding bucks to align with those for sheep, particularly adopting a framework similar to Option 2B.
Open for signature
October 24, 2024, at 2:36 p.m. (EDT)
Closed for signature
February 21, 2025, at 2:36 p.m. (EDT)
Photo - Claude DeBellefeuille
Salaberry—Suroît
Bloc Québécois Caucus
Quebec