A private member's bill to reverse the ban on pit bulls in Ontario is moving forward for more debate.
Bill 147, introduced by Chatham-Kent Leamington MPP Rick Nicholls on Tuesday, passed second reading by a vote of 36-12 at Queen's Park on Thursday afternoon. Nicholls wants to change the Dog Owners' Liability Act to stop discrimination against pit bulls and wants the focus put back on all dog owners for the behaviour of any dog breed.
Perhaps surprisingly, some big names in his Conservative Party voted against the change, including Minister of Health Christine Elliott and Education Minister Stephen Lecce. Nicholls' bill does have the support of several New Democrat MPPs and some Conservatives, including Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MPP Monte McNaughton and Solicitor General Sylvia Jones. McNaughton and Jones did not stand and speak.
The bill will now go to the General Government Committee for debate before third and final reading and a vote.
Nicholls was heckled from the gallery when he started the debate to end breed-specific legislation (BSL) and shrugged it off.
"I’ll take full responsibility for inciting that near-riot, Speaker," he said. "Thank you very much."
Toronto NDP MPP Bhutila Karpoche said this ban has caused a lot of pain and suffering for many people.
"I rise today to speak to this bill on behalf of the thousands of dogs that were euthanized because of breed-specific legislation, on behalf of the numerous families that lost a beloved member of their family, and on behalf of the families that had to move out of Ontario or were unable to move back to Ontario due to BSL," she said.
Toronto NDP MPP Rima Berns-McGown said she was bitten by a neighbour's dog about a year ago near her house but that dog was trained and is no longer a biter.
"It’s really clear that there is no pit bull gene for danger. As members have been stating, all dogs can bite and all dogs can be trained not to bite," she said.
Under the proposed changes, dogs declared vicious could be put down and those owners would be prohibited to own a dog for at least 10 years.
The current pit bull ban has been in place since 2005.
