Recent trespassers on a Southern Alberta turkey farm continues to raise the question to farmers within Ontario and Canada as to when this type of harassment will be stopped.
Ernie Hardeman, Ontario Minister of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs and Premier Doug Ford recently spoke to Farmtario at the Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show about this matter.
The OMAFRA team is reviewing the situation and the challenges of putting a system in place to protect farmers, says Hardeman.
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“Presently every time that they are being charged, because it wasn’t with criminal intent, the charges were not enforceable,” said Hardeman.
The provincial government is currently looking for something that can allow for enforceability for a penalty towards deterrent behaviour.
“Remember farmers live there too,” says Hardemann, speaking of farm businesses, “The trespassing law that they are charged under isn’t enough of a deterrent from doing it, they just pay it as a cost of doing business.”
“They are the ones that are looking after their animals in the best possible way, that is the only way they can produce a profit,” he said.
“They are the best stewards of the industries, they are the best at taking care of their own industry,” said Ford.
