Riding Watch Questions
“We need people at every single all-candidates meeting, in every riding, across Canada, asking politicians what they are going to do to protect animals and the environment.
“Together we can build a national commentary on the protection of animals and the environment.”
-Liz White, Leader of the Animal Protection Party of Canada
If you want to be involved in the next federal election campaign but don’t want to be a candidate, we encourage you to join our Riding Watch Team. We ask Team members to:
- monitor the political activity in the riding (electoral district);
- find out which candidates are already nominated and for what party;
- research these candidates to find out what they stand for; and
- during the election, find the time and location of the all candidates meetings and attend with others to ask questions about animal and environmental protection.
Below are sample questions you can ask candidates, on behalf of the Riding Watch Team:
- According to the IPPC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) in order to address our climate breakdown there needs to be significant and drastic changes in all aspects of society. How will you or your party commit to implementing the changes we need? What is your plan B?
- The UN Report, Livestock’s Long Shadow–Environmental Issues and Options, highlights the environmental devastation caused by animal agriculture, including deforestation, water scarcity, pollution and significant greenhouse gas emissions. What will you and your party do to address the environmental damage caused by the animal agriculture industry specifically?
- Despite evidence that horses endure intense suffering during slaughter and transport this practice is still legal in Canada. Will you support an end to the practice of horse slaughter in Canada and if elected, would you support an end to the practice of exporting live horses to Japan and Korea for slaughter?
- Indigenous people in Canada continue to face disproportionate violence, water scarcity, discrimination and poverty. What is something specific that you or your party will do to address the ongoing process of colonization in Canada?
- Many parties have now recognized that our political system “First Past the Post” (FPtP) needs to change in order to ensure both effective representation at the electoral district level and a more accurate reflection of the electoral choices of voters. Will your party commit to changing our electoral system to a version of proportional representation?
- Bill S-214, a bill to end cosmetic testing on animals in Canada timed out before it could become law this past term. This bill was widely supported by the public and draws on evidence that animal testing for the use of cosmetics is ineffective, cruel and unnecessary. Will you help Canada join nearly 40 other countries worldwide and end the practice of testing on animals for cosmetic purposes?
- Almost everyone can agree that Canada’s animal cruelty laws are not strong enough to protect animals in our society. As long as animals are considered “property” under the eyes of the law, they will continue to endure systematic use, abuse and cruelty. Will you and your party support the science, and commit to recognizing animals as more than “property”?
- According to the Health Minister, for the first time Canada’s new Food Guide is not based on the lobbying efforts and influence of the meat and dairy industry, but on science, which recommends that Canadians should be eating a primarily plant-based diet, for their health. What will you and your party do to uphold the science reflected in the new Food Guide?
- Despite the environmental, health and ethical concerns of animal agriculture, the federal government recently announced that they will give 1.75 billion dollars in subsidies to the dairy industry in order to offset losses from trade deals. This is on top of the 6-8 billion-dollar subsidies that are typically handed out to meat and dairy industries annually. What is your plan to ensure that subsidies are used more effectively? And do you support transitioning the resource intensive animal agricultural industry to a sustainable plant-based model?
- The unethical slaughter of seals is now a practice that is synonymous with Canada. With the demand for fur and other seal products continuing to decline, where do you and your party stand on ending this exploitative industry?