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8 candidates get the pawprint stamp of approval

Elizabeth May pledges health transfers to reflect aging populations

Dogs and cats may not have the vote, but if they did Humane Voters Canada has made it easier for them to pick the right candidate.

The project of Animal Justice Canada Legislative Fund endorsed eight candidates in the federal election based on their history with animal-rights issues.

“Humane Voters Canada is proud to support politicians from all stripes who show a firm commitment to advancing animals’ interests in Parliament,” Jerry Simonelli, director of Humane Voters Canada, said in a statement. “Polling consistently shows Canadians want to vote for politicians who take animal issues seriously. Having a strong, cross-partisan caucus of MPs is key to improving life for animals in Canada.”

The endorsed candidates come from all of the major political parties, including past members of Parliament and newcomers to federal politics. The endorsement decisions were based in part on a survey Humane Voters Canada sent to the election candidates, as well as the past histories and future plans of the federal candidates.

Endorsed candidates include Don Davies, the incumbent NDP candidate in Vancouver-Kingsway, who spoke in Parliament about illegal shipments of meat from endangered fin whales that passed through Canada.

Humane Voters Canada also threw its support behind Rick Dykstra, an incumbent Conservative candidate in St. Catharines, who has supported a ban on the import of wild-caught marine mammals like dolphins and whales. Hedy Fry, the Liberal incumbent in Vancouver Centre, got an endorsement for consistently supporting bills related to animal cruelty sections of the Criminal Code.

Though Conservative Leader Stephen Harper and his wife Laureen are known for their support of humane shelters, including fostering cats, only one party leader got the okay from Humane Voters Canada. That was Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, whose history of parliamentary work for animal rights includes introducing legislation to restrict the import of shark fins and supporting a ban on keeping dolphins, whales and porpoises in captivity.

Click here for the full endorsement list.