| Publish Date: 8-Sep-2005
By charlie smith
Straight Talk - Whale vote sought
A COPE member has alleged that COPE park commissioners have broken
a previous election promise to hold a referendum on keeping whales
in captivity. Kelly Bunting, a former director of the Canadian Federation
of Humane Societies, told the Straight that she voted for COPE commissioners
in the 2002 civic election because she believed they would honour
a pledge to let citizens vote on this issue.
“I feel my vote was stolen the last time,” Bunting said.
According to the minutes of an August 15 COPE park-board policy
workshop, Bunting and COPE member Bob Light urged the commissioners
to endorse a whale-captivity referendum in the November civic election.
COPE commissioners Lyndsay Poaps, Eva Riccius, Anita Romaniuk, and
Loretta Woodcock each replied why they disagreed with the idea.
According to the minutes, Woodcock claimed that animal-rights activists
couldn’t win because the Vancouver Aquarium and Marine Science Centre
is “very good at putting a spin on things with their Public Relations
Campaign”. Riccius, the chair, also stated that a “grassroots animal
rights campaign” could not win.
In August, Bunting wrote to Riccius asking to speak at the October
17 park-board meeting. Bunting told the Straight that she wants
the commissioners to recommend that city council approve a referendum
on captivity in the November election. Riccius replied in an e-mail
that Bunting should bring the issue forward at a board committee
meeting on October 5. According to deputy city clerk Marg Coulson,
the deadline is October 6 for city council to approve a referendum
question.
PLEASE WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR AND CC THE PARK BOARD!
Demand a Whale Referendum!!!
Write to:
Georgia Straight Newspaper Editor editor@straight.com
PARK BOARD COMMISSIONERS
Thank you!
Annelise Sorg
COALITION FOR NO WHALES IN CAPTIVITY
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