issue 10// vol 45 life & style // no. 13

S-203
passes
Senate

>» A massive win for
animal activists

Brittney MacDonald
Life & Style Editor

 

n October 24, a bill was passed by the

Senate and will now enter the House
of Commons—making it one step closer
to becoming Canadian law. That bill was
S-203, which outlaws the captivity and
captive breeding of cetaceans.

S-203 was first put forth by former
Liberal senator Wilfred Moore in
December of 2015. It has been a long and
arduous road for proponents of the bill.
Marineland’s owner, John Holer, testified
before the Senate committee asking them
to stop the bill.

Recently Holer issued a statement
saying: “Bill S-203 was not supported by the
relevant ministries or the credible scientific
community [...] The bill and the debate
around it [have] been highly emotional,
lacking in fact-based or science-based

 

analysis and mired in unnecessary conflict
incited by radical animal rights groups
from the United States.”

Holer’s claims, and others like it,
led to the lengthy debate of the bill. The
three-year legislative slog culminated in
the bill being cleared. It is a massive win
for many animal welfare activists, who have
been attempting to highlight the cruelty of
captive practices. Thankfully, they will not
have to wait much longer to see if S-203
is enacted into law. It is set to be passed
through the House of Commons by May.

Photo of Brittney MacDonald by Brittney MacDonald

Asa possible addition to the Canadian
Criminal Code, violators of the proposed
Act will be fined upwards of $200,000.
The high sum is meant to be a deliberate
deterrent, since the fine would be placed
on the parks and not individuals.

Surprisingly, S-203 seems to have
unified Members of Parliament across
political lines. Known proponents of the
bill include Conservative MP Michelle
Rempel, Liberal Nathaniel Erksine-Smith,
and New Democrat Fin Donnelly.

The Vancouver Aquarium has yet

 

to respond to the bill’s passing but did
remove its captive whales and dolphins
from display some time ago—claiming
that the protests against captivity became
a “distraction.” It is worth noting that the
Vancouver Aquarium was, according to the
Globe and Mail, the “first [aquarium] in
the world to stop capturing wild cetaceans
in 1996”, and that any new cetaceans
introduced to the aquarium since then
have been rescue animals.

An examination
of modern street
fashion: Part s1x

>» Conclusion

Brittney MacDonald
Life & Style Editor

 

[ is that time now—the end of this
column. Normally I would find some
way of summarizing all the complex and
shocking facts I’ve laid out in these articles.
However, I find myself at an impasse
because fashion and trends are never-
ending. There is no conclusion to what
we've examined—it will continue to cycle
as it always has. If that seems unsatisfying
to you, then youre not the only one.

Many of the things I find fascinating
about fashion also annoy me. The biggest
peeve is that it will continue to make the
same mistakes it always has. As a society we
can expect to see the truly hideous revivals
of some of the worst decades of trends—
everything from ’80s fanny packs to ‘60s
vinyl and plastic fabric replacements.
Currently we exist in a ’gos revival,
which isn't so bad, but imagine when we
eventually cycle back to the goth’d-out
direction of The Cure and Siouxsie and the
Banshees.

With our current focus and
conservative trends, I’m hoping for a
revival of 60s mod culture and the British
Invasion. All we need is another Beatles—
but I digress.

As cringeworthy as it is to see some
of these trends again, that issue pales in

comparison to the real crimes that exist
within the fashion industry. The industry
perpetuates mass production that does
irrevocable damage to the environment.
Many companies promote outsourcing,
sometimes resulting in poor working
conditions and child labour in other
countries. There’s also the constant and
encouraged theft of ideas from small
independent design houses and designers
by big label moguls.

It becomes difficult to ratify
enjoyment of such an industry—but here
we are, carrying on and following along.

I’m not here to judge anyone or to tell
you youre a horrible person for fawning
over that Prada bag or those Dolce &
Gabbana sunglasses. | love fashion and
probably always will—but I do so with an
awareness of where fashion comes from.
Not just who makes it, but an honest and
true attempted understanding of how it
comes to be. Why is this popular? Why
is that so cheap? These are questions you
need to ask. The answer could mean the
difference between ignorant support of bad
practices or supporting industry leaders
attempting to change things for the better.

As another bonus, paying mind to the
evolution of trends is a great way to gain
insight into the cultural and economic
status quo. All it takes is a little critical
thinking and some keen observation skills.