Posted on 2009-04-19

Legislation

In order to help create legislation, citizens need to communicate with Members of Parliament

The Canadian Horse Defense Coalition is committed to securing the introduction of a Private Members' Bill banning the slaughter of horses, and the import or export of horses for slaughter, at the next available session of Parliament.

We are currently in the development stage to achieve this mission. Grassroots support from people like you will be critical to the success of this type of legislation. In order to help create legislation, people need to communicate with Members of Parliament, to inform them of the issues and to make their opinions known. By presenting petitions, you provide evidence of support from your community.

To have an understanding of how business is conducted in Canadian Parliament, please see the following link from the Canadian House of Commons website:

Legislative Process

Summary: In the Parliament of Canada, as in all legislative assemblies based on the British model, there is a clearly defined method for enacting legislation. A bill must go through a number of specific stages in the House of Commons and the Senate before it becomes law:

notice of motion for leave to introduce and placement on Order Paper;
preparation of a bill by a committee (where applicable);
introduction and first reading;
reference to a committee before second reading (where applicable);
second reading and reference to a committee;
consideration in committee;
report stage;
third reading (and passage);
consideration and passage by the Senate;
passage of Senate amendments by the Commons (where applicable);
Royal Assent, and
coming into force.

As you can see, it is an involved process. However, the information provided here can help give a better understanding of how the process works:

Parliamentary Procedure

Private Members' Business

Private Membersʼ Bills, Notice, Introduction and First Reading

Presenting Petitions

Petition Guidelines

Government Responses to Petitions

To download and print copies of a draft petition, click here

"Help us lead Canada's horses away from barbarism . .
and into the protected pastures of a civilized nation."