A pinch in time

While I was rummaging around on the web looking for something else, I noticed an article on the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies site, http://cfhs.ca/ that talked about the very real possibility that Quebec is considering mandatory Breeder registration.
Why are they doing that? Their provincial election followed hot on the heel of three big puppy mill seizures that are likely only the very tip of the iceberg there. At the height of the election, a petition in support of this.... with over 55,000 names on it was presented to the government.
If there is one thing that politicians respond to, it is voter feedback. Less than a year ago, we had a shining example of that here in NS. When the NS municipalities tried to sneak BSL in under the guise of a municipal housekeeping bill ( Bill 138 ), a grassroots surge of irate animal loving voters soon put the brakes to that. The bill passed, but not until the offending clauses 6-8 were removed from the document.
Ontario has already passed new legislation that includes fines of up to $60,000 and lifetime bans on ownership for those who abuse animals. If Quebec passes similar legislation, where WILL those puppy mills go? Will they close up shop? Will they pick a better path? Of course not.
Even this middle aged granny isn't naive enough to think that we don't already have puppy mills here in the Maritimes. Like selling drugs, its a nasty lucrative business that offers too many temptations to the unscrupulous.
We are famous here in the Maritimes for our hospitality .... for our scenery .... for our culture and our heritage. Do we want to become better known as the new puppy mill capitol of Canada?
Should we wait until our provincial SPCA is swamped by puppy mill operations that have set up shop in a more forgiving legislative climate? Should we wait for the next provincial election to let the MLA's in our Constituencies know how we feel about the issue?
Or should we start now,by letting our politicians know that this is an issue of great importance to the animal loving community. Democracy only works when we, as voters, let our representatives know what we expect. Silence is not golden ... it is a rusty old anchor that will keep the ship from sailing into better and safer waters.
It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds. - Samuel Adams