Coiteux’s refusal to commit to banning pitbulls

News 20 March, 2018
  • Simon Clark/QMI Agency
    Martin Coiteux

    Patrick Bellerose

    Tuesday, 20 march 2018 15:12

    UPDATE
    Tuesday, 20 march 2018 15:17

    Look at this article

    The minister of public Safety refused Tuesday to commit to ban pitbulls, saying they are rather in search of a consensus between the two camps in this folder “polarizing”.

    “There are people who will insist on the importance of going that far (editor’s NOTE : ban the pitbulls), there are people who will introduce us to other points of view. My role, as minister of public Safety, this is to make sure that at the end of course, we have the best regulatory regime possible,” said Martin Coiteux Tuesday, a few hours before the start of the parliamentary committee on the draft law aimed at regulating dangerous dogs.

    However, at the time of submitting the draft law in April 2017, the minister was categorical : “from the implementation of this bill, the government, it informs you immediately of our intention, we going to ban pit bull type dogs”.

    The ban should be done by regulation after the adoption of the draft law.

    The minister Coiteux recognizes that the debate raises passions in both camps : “I know, this is not a bill which is accepted in the same way, unanimously, by all Quebecers. It is a bill that is polarizing”, is it.

    “We will not hide, we are not going to wear rose-colored glasses,” he adds. But we will in consultation because we want to move forward.”

    Martin Coiteux ensure that it addresses these consultations “with open mind”. “I don’t know if it is possible to make a very broad consensus, but it may be possible to find a rallying point,” he says.

    Moreover, the minister cannot guarantee that the draft law will be adopted in time for the end of the parliamentary session, the last before the general elections. “If one is able to find rallying points and ways of working with the oppositions that allow us to arrive there, it is my wish that it was done,” says Martin Coiteux.

    More details will follow…