the district of North Saanich moves towards becoming a cage-free community
Author:
Vancouver Humane Society
Publication Date:
June 13, 2007
On June 4th, the District of North Saanich on Vancouver Island voted to support the Chicken Out! Project's initiative to end the use of battery cages for egg-laying hens.
The following is the exciting step made by this small, but progressive municipality (taken form the minutes of the June 4th council meeting):
(a) Cage-Free Eggs
Councillor Scoones expressed support in principle for the concept of cage-free eggs and suggested that the public be consulted prior to implementing the requests put forward by the Vancouver Humane Society. Councillor Green suggested that this be referred to the future Agricultural Advisory Commission for further review.
MOVED BY: COUNCILLOR SCOONES
SECONDED: COUNCILLOR CHANDLER
227 That the letter dated May 4, 2007 from the Vancouver Humane Society requesting Council’s support of cage-free eggs be received, and that:
- the Vancouver Humane Society be advised that the District of North Saanich supports the concept of cage-free eggs in principle;
- the issue be referred to the future Agricultural Advisory Commission for review and recommendation;
- the District of North Saanich prepare a proclamation encouraging local egg using businesses to use only eggs from cage-free hens; and,
- letters of support be sent to MP Gary Lunn, the local MLA’s, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and the Minister of Industry.
CARRIED
To cage or not to cage
By Cat George
Peninsula News Review
Jun 13 2007
www.peninsulanewsreview.com
Egg-laying facilities in North Saanich called into question
The undercover video on the Chicken Out website shows dirty, scraggly hens crushed together in tiny cages, unable to flap their wings. Battery cage egg farms like this are where the majority of Canada’s 26 million egg-laying hens live, and the Vancouver Humane Society is looking to do something about it.
One of their recent actions was requesting that municipalities across the country support a cage-free purchasing initiative. Certified organic, SPCA certified, free-range and free-run eggs are the humane alternatives the society supports.
While North Saanich doesn’t regularly purchase eggs for municipal functions or have any major egg producers, they passed a motion to support Chicken Out by sending a letter supporting humane egg purchasing to local businesses, MP Gary Lunn, MLA Murray Coell, and the Peninsula Agricultural Commission.
The municipality is in good company; the city of Richmond recently announced their support, while Vancouver and Toronto are also looking at humane purchasing policies for city-run facilities. Overseas, a complete ban on battery cages will come into effect in the EU for 2012. The Humane Society even has a celebrity contingent of support: Pamela Anderson, well-known for her animal-loving ways, along with Twiggy and Minnie Driver, are all supporters of the Chicken Out movement. Now the Society has asked Paris Hilton to join the campaign, using her own recent experiences in jail to speak to the plight of caged birds. “We think her incarceration experience will make her the perfect sympathetic voice for chickens confined to tiny wire cages,” said Bruce Passmore, the Farm Animal Welfare Coordinator for the VHS, in the announcement.
Councillor Anny Scoones pointed out that North Saanich councillors were ahead of the curve: Scoones distributes organic eggs from her own farm to councillors at the meetings.
