Liberal MPP David Zimmer gets educated about "old news"

Honestly, if one thinks it is OK that Ontario dog owners have been thrown under the bus by the McGuinty Liberals, discrimination against people who own a certain "look" of dog and killing thousands of dogs based on how they look is "OK" and a form of controlling bites/attacks... You may need an education! 


You really need an education when you are the parliamentary assistant to the AG. You really REALLY need an education when you sat in or chaired major portions of the committee hearings and heard testimony after testimony that breed bans are not an effective way of controlling dog bites and attacks.


You certainly deserve to be tuned in if you think Ontario dog owners are worthy of the pain, heartache and stress of having your family pet taken from you and killed based on how he looks OR wondering every morning if today will be the day that happens...


Here is a letter that was emailed to MPP David Zimmer from one Ontario dog owner;

Hello Mr. Zimmer

I recently heard from a friend that you believe the "pit bull" ban is old news? I wanted to write you and let you know the "pit bull" ban is far from old news. You should also be aware, as I was informed you are not, there are several thousands of these dogs still in the province. People are still going to court over "pit bull" issues, they are still bringing them into the province and they are still breeding what you people consider "pit bulls", in the Province of Ontario.

As the owner of dogs considered by yourself and people like you to be "pit bulls", I am disgusted at the level of discrimination you and your party have condoned with respect to these dogs and against their owners. 

I have lived in this province most of my life, I was born here, I work here, I pay taxes here and I have NEVER been charged with or convicted of a criminal offence. However, because of people like you, government officials who condone discrimination of any kind, who blatantly ignore the facts and go ahead with legislation to satisfy your own political agendas, I have been blacklisted from a number of businesses, public areas and have even had things thrown at me while walking my "pit bull". I have also been yelled at and harassed because of what you and your party have condoned. 

From the beginning you have been provided with facts about so called "pit bulls" as well as the ineffectiveness of breed bans all over the world. During the public hearings you and your party had the opportunity to do the right thing, to take information from someone like Mr. Bill Bruce, Director of Animal and Bylaw Services, who by the way is world renowned for his success in reducing dogs bites in that city, even though their "pit bull" population has doubled since Ontario's ban as they have taken in thousands of the dogs that would have been killed here. Yet, their bite stats are still the lowest they have seen in their history and across Canada. Mr. Bruce travels all over North America talking to various communities about Calgary's success and many of those communities are adopting his methods, something Ontario should have done 6 years ago. 

The fact you believe the "pit bull" issue is old news just goes to show that you do not care about all of the citizens of this province, only the ones you can buy votes from. Discrimination against a group of people is wrong Mr. Zimmer, regardless of the type of discrimination and yes, you ARE discriminating against me and not just my dog, but neither makes you any better a person.

A couple of weeks ago over 200 people marched in downtown Toronto to show their support for repealing the ban. Does that sound to you like it doesn't matter? Like it is old news?

Mr. Zimmer, I am reminded of the ban every single day and what you and your party have done to the people like me who have to live it every day. Are you even aware of the number of innocent animals you people had a hand in killing? How many family pets have been ripped from loving homes because you and your party decided to discriminate against anything with a stocky build, a short coat and a square shaped head?

I have never discriminated against anyone in my entire life, I never expected that this type of discrimination would be condoned by those who are in power or that I would be faced with it head on. It's 2011 and people shouldn't be facing discrimination of any kind. You and your party should be ashamed of yourselves.

You were provided with the information about why breed bans don't work, as well as the fact that there is no such breed of dog as a "pit bull". You held public hearings and out of over 100 people who spoke over 80 were against the ban, including ALL of the organizations who spoke and yet you proceeded to enact legislation that has not only condoned discrimination against a group of people, but which has killed thousands of innocent dogs and cost the province hundreds of thousands of dollars. Now you just sweep it under the rug like it doesn't matter? You say there aren't many "pit bulls" left in Ontario? Do you ever go out of your house Mr. Zimmer? You should open your eyes Mr. Zimmer because you have never been more wrong. 

You should be ashamed of yourself. I am ashamed of every single one of the officials who voted for this disgusting piece of legislation and I will never vote Liberal again because of it. Please don't think I am alone, the 200 people who marched a couple of weeks ago are only a small hand full of people who feel the same way I do and we can't wait until election day.

If you wish to contact Mr. Zimmer yourself


Liberal MPP David Zimmer


dzimmer.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org


dzimmer.mpp@liberal.ola.org

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