'Same old stuff': Activists condemn Ontario government's silence on animal care at Marineland
CTV
Two months after the deaths of 14 whales and a dolphin at Marineland came to light, Ontario has refused to make public any steps taken to improve animal safety at the park.
Two months after the deaths of 14 whales and a dolphin at Marineland came to light, Ontario has refused to make public any steps taken to improve animal safety at the park, as critics demand action and transparency.
In August, The Canadian Press published figures on recent animal deaths at the Niagara Falls, Ont., tourist attraction. The data was contained in a list created by the Ministry of the Solicitor General as part of a freedom-of-information request.
With Marineland now closed for the off-season, the government is saying little publicly about its ongoing probe of the park, which began when the province took over enforcing animal cruelty laws from the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
The Ministry of the Solicitor General has not revealed details of its investigation, including the causes of death for the animals.
Solicitor General Michael Kerzner did not answer questions about what action Animal Welfare Services inspectors have taken at Marineland or about what critics have called a lack of transparency.
"We take animal welfare very seriously," Kerzner said after an unrelated committee meeting in September.
"There's been a number of visits to Marineland in the last few years and we have full confidence in our animal welfare inspectors and in the legislation that we have."
