Chamber
manitoba
Stage
Introduced
This Manitoba bill increases penalties for illegally hunting protected species and bans poison-trapping permits.
Key Changes
- Eliminates the ability to issue permits exempting people from the ban on using poison to trap or kill wild animals
- Creates new fines of $10,000–$100,000 and up to one year in jail for a first offence of illegally hunting a protected species
- Creates new fines of $20,000–$200,000 and up to two years in jail for repeat offences involving protected species
- Automatically cancels all relevant hunting licences upon conviction for wildlife offences
- Suspends the right to hold a hunting licence for two years after a first protected species offence
- Permanently bans repeat offenders from holding hunting licences (indefinite suspension)
Gotchas
- The removal of poison-use permits may affect landowners or agricultural operators who previously relied on this exemption to manage wildlife on their property.
- The lifetime hunting ban for repeat offenders is automatic upon conviction, with no judicial discretion mentioned for that specific penalty.
- The expanded list of animals protected from being killed in defence of private land now includes all protected species, not just the previously named animals (antelope, cougar), which broadens landowner restrictions.
- Penalties only apply to offences committed after the bill comes into force, meaning prior conduct is not retroactively penalized.
- The bill does not specify how 'protected species' is defined within the Act, so the scope depends on which species are listed in the existing schedules of the Wildlife Act.
Who's Affected
- Hunters and trappers in Manitoba
- People convicted of wildlife offences
- Landowners who previously used poison to protect private property from wild animals
- Wildlife conservation officers and enforcement agencies
- Protected animal species in Manitoba
Vibes
0 responses
Gotchas
- The removal of poison-use permits may affect landowners or agricultural operators who previously relied on this exemption to manage wildlife on their property.
- The lifetime hunting ban for repeat offenders is automatic upon conviction, with no judicial discretion mentioned for that specific penalty.
- The expanded list of animals protected from being killed in defence of private land now includes all protected species, not just the previously named animals (antelope, cougar), which broadens landowner restrictions.
- Penalties only apply to offences committed after the bill comes into force, meaning prior conduct is not retroactively penalized.
- The bill does not specify how 'protected species' is defined within the Act, so the scope depends on which species are listed in the existing schedules of the Wildlife Act.
Summary
This bill changes Manitoba's Wildlife Act to crack down on illegal hunting and trapping of protected animal species. It removes the government's ability to issue permits that would allow someone to use poison to trap, kill, or take wild animals. It also significantly increases the fines and jail time for people who illegally hunt or trap protected species. Under the new rules, a first-time offender can be fined between $10,000 and $100,000 and/or jailed for up to one year. A repeat offender faces fines between $20,000 and $200,000 and/or up to two years in jail. On top of that, anyone convicted loses their hunting licences automatically and is banned from getting new ones — for two years on a first offence, and permanently for a second offence. The bill was likely introduced to strengthen protections for vulnerable wildlife in Manitoba by making the consequences of poaching or illegal trapping much more serious, and by closing a loophole that allowed poison use under special permits.
Automatically generated from bill text using Claude
Vibes
0 responses