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March 2018

I was contacting every candidate for the position of MPP in my riding regarding the repeal of BSL. Lou Rinaldi, the Liberal Party Member, was clear he had no intentions of repealing this draconian law. The Green Party Member and the NDP Party Member confirmed that they both strongly supported repeal – not a surprise as both Parties have consistently voted in favour of repeal at every introduction of a Bill to do so, members of the NDP Party had brought numerous repeal Bills and neither Party has ever stepped back from this position, ever. The Conservative Party member and I spoke directly on March 11, 2018, at which time his first response was to ask me “what would you say to our neighbours to the south” and “pit bulls were responsible for killing so many people”. Again, the umbrella term “pit bull” used by so many which encompasses over 30 actual breeds and the majority of mixed breed dogs in Ontario. I had to ask him why he would want to engage with me while simultaneously doing a search and reading the information compiled and thrown on Google by an uneducated and debunked hippy instead of seeking science and expert opinions/advice on the topic? At that juncture I actually had to caution him with a phrase I repeated often “know your source”. I then received an email, piccini-2018-03-11, by which he advised he was committed to the repeal, would speak with his Party and get back to me. 2018 – over two years ago.

MAY 31, 2018

At the Meet the Candidates event hosted in Brighton, Ontario David Piccini publicly confirms he will take steps to repeal BSL. He has no follow up to his statement in March that he would speak with his colleagues.

NOVEMBER 8 2018

I attend a meeting with David Piccini, after waiting so that he has ample time to speak with his colleagues as he had stated he would do on March 11, 2018, regarding the repeal of BSL. In point form from that meeting, David Piccini’s statements, and email follow up below Piccini email 2018-11-08:

The meeting starts with me sharing the visual of the submissions made to the Standing Committee in 2005 when BSL was enacted. Attached is a photo of what that looks like. The six large binders contain submissions made by those opposed to BSL; the one large binder and small binder contains submissions made by those in support of BSL; and, the two binders on the right contain Legislative Memorandums.

• Each Party member had been required to set out for the Party their top three issues that they would be advancing. The repeal of BSL is one of his top three issues.
• He believes that the AMO (Association of Municipalities of Ontario) will be very supportive of repeal, specifically a provincially mandated appeal meaning that BSL in all municipalities would be repealed at once with the provincial repeal. AMO was very vocal in its opposition to BSL in 2005.
• He will be speaking with Christine Elliott, then Minister of the Attorney General, on November 12, 2018 – in advance of his meeting with her on November 13, 2018 – to discuss the drafting of this legislation.
• Many of his fellow Members of Parliament had also been speaking with the Hon. Ms. Elliott on this very topic already.
• His timeline for the introduction of the Private Member’s Bill is approximately one month, he predicts that it is not out of the question to think that this repeal could reach Royal Assent late in the first year he is in office. 
• He is provided with contact information for various large stakeholders who support repeal, being experts in the various fields that work specifically with animals, all of whom had already confirmed their support .

NOVEMBER 12, 2018

Email forwarded to David Piccini, Christine Elliott and Sylvia Jones, at the request of David Piccini, setting out my reasons for supporting repeal. This document can be found in the documents section and is titled November-12-2018 email.

DECEMBER 6, 2018

One week ahead of schedule the PC Party shutters the Legislative Assembly until after Christmas. At this stage there is still no response from David as to the results of his meeting with the Ministry of the Attorney General, feedback from his colleagues or even a draft Bill to be reviewed.

DECEMBER 9, 2018

Meeting held at David’s Port Hope office.

DECEMBER 11, 2018

One of the principals of an anti-BSL group that was contacted forwards an email received from Sylvia Jones confirming that legislation is being drafted to repeal BSL.

December 31, 2018, the people of Ontario still await movement towards repeal…another year down and BSL enters its 14th year of wasting our tax dollars in Ontario.