Canada’s Economic Vulnerability and the Pitfalls of Political Opportunism: The Case of Horse Export Bans
Canada’s economic landscape faces significant uncertainties, highlighted by the looming threat of American tariffs. This precarious situation underscores a recurring theme: the Liberal government’s inadequate preparation for inevitable economic shocks. The COVID-19 pandemic served as a stark warning, yet the government appears to have disregarded this crucial lesson, demonstrating a concerning pattern of reactive rather than proactive policymaking. A prime example of this reactive approach is the government’s 2021 campaign promise to ban the live export of horses for slaughter, jeopardizing a lucrative export market without a sound economic rationale. This decision, driven by emotional appeal and fueled by misinformation, showcases the perils of prioritizing political expediency over thorough analysis and evidence-based policy.
The debate surrounding the live export of horses for slaughter became highly charged, with animal rights activists presenting a narrative often divorced from factual reality. Senator Don Plett, as the Senate critic of Bill C-355 (An Act to Prohibit the Export by Air of Horses for Slaughter), embarked on a comprehensive investigation into the industry. His firsthand observations, gleaned from interactions with farmers, feedlot operators, animal rights groups, veterinarians, transportation experts, and exporters, painted a vastly different picture than the one presented by activists. He meticulously examined each stage of the process, from feedlots to airports, and discovered a pattern of distortions and misrepresentations propagated by those opposed to the practice.
Senator Plett’s findings systematically debunked several pervasive myths surrounding the live export of horses. The claim that horses are "crammed" into crates was refuted by observations of ample space and freedom of movement, exceeding even the standards for horses transported for other purposes. Similarly, the assertion that export horses travel without attendants was contradicted by mandatory airline regulations requiring qualified attendants on all livestock flights. Allegations of frequent breaches of the 28-hour transport limit were dismissed, with activists’ inflated estimates contrasting sharply with documented transport times. Furthermore, the notion of horses being violently prodded during loading and unloading was debunked by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) observations of humane handling practices using foam noodles and flexible poles.
Further dismantling the activists’ narrative, Senator Plett addressed concerns about horse mortality during air transport. CFIA data revealed an extremely low death rate among the approximately 40,000 horses exported to Japan between 2013 and 2020. The claim that air transport poses greater health risks to export horses compared to those transported for sport or breeding was also refuted. Studies indicate a lower incidence of shipping fever among export horses (9%) compared to horses transported in jet stalls for other purposes (up to 20%). This comprehensive fact-finding mission exposed the misleading foundation upon which the opposition to live horse export was built.
The inaccuracies surrounding the live export debate underscore the dangers of emotionally charged arguments eclipsing factual analysis. Bill C-355, despite being framed as an animal welfare initiative, contained a glaring inconsistency. It targeted air transport of horses solely for human consumption, while permitting the same transport methods and conditions for other purposes. This selective application reveals the legislation’s true intent: to appease animal rights activists ideologically opposed to horse meat consumption, rather than genuinely addressing animal welfare concerns.
While the consumption of horse meat might be culturally unpalatable to some, it remains a legitimate agricultural practice with deep roots in Canada and globally. Horse meat forms a significant part of the culinary traditions in numerous countries and constitutes a viable component of international trade. In the current climate of trade uncertainties, Canada should prioritize strengthening its export markets, not dismantling them based on political opportunism and unsubstantiated claims. The proposed ban on live horse exports represents a missed opportunity to support a legitimate industry and reinforces the need for evidence-based policymaking that prioritizes economic stability and factual accuracy over emotional appeals.