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February 27, 2025, is election day in Ontario, Canada. Secondhand Stories is located in the electoral district of Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston (051), where, since the riding was established, the elected official has been a member of the Progressive Conservative Party. As a registered Canadian non-profit, we are legally required to remain non-partisan in our advocacy efforts.
Our mission is not political but ethical: to inspire compassion for chickens through rescue, education, and outreach. We use our voices as knowledgeable and compassionate caretakers to promote compassion and improve protections for farmed animals, particularly chickens, who are among the most neglected under current legislation. Below, you'll see our letter to our district's candidates.
We encourage every Ontarian to not only vote during this election but to write to their candidates to make their voices heard. Find Your Electoral District here: https://www.elections.on.ca/en/voting-in-ontario/electoral-districts.html
Our Letter to Provincial Candidates
Hello Candidates,
My name is Liz Wheeler, and I’m a constituent living in Rideau Lakes. In addition to moving to this area in 2022, I have founded a non-profit Chicken Sanctuary, Secondhand Stories. Regardless of political affiliation, I hope to work with my elected representative to improve animal welfare in Ontario.
What I wish to speak to you today about is animal protection. No matter which candidate is elected, I want to ensure that it can never be said there is no opposition to how our province is treating animals. I want to highlight some of my concerns that I hope you will consider:
Provincial Animal Welfare Services (PAWS) Act (2019) Farmed animals are mainly exempt from meaningful protections under the PAWS Act. As long as standard farming practices (i.e., “generally accepted”) are followed, almost any form of treatment is legally permitted. This means painful procedures like debeaking, toe trimming, wing clipping, and confinement in battery cages are all legal because they are standard in the poultry industry. We know this is happening through critical investigations like Gray Ridge Egg Farm, which shows hens crammed into tiny, filthy cages, dead birds left to decompose alongside living ones, and workers handling animals roughly. Despite these clear welfare violations, no penalties were issued under PAWS, demonstrating its inability to hold industrial farms accountable.
Solution: Expand the PAWS Act to eliminate industry exemptions and create legally enforceable welfare standards for farmed animals. I urge the government to allocate additional funding to PAWS to increase enforcement officers and ensure meaningful oversight.
Security from Trespass and Protecting Food Safety Act, 2020 (Bill 156) In November 2022, Justice Markus Koehnen struck down portions of the Act, ruling them unconstitutional. Specifically, the provisions that made it illegal to gain access to a farm or processing plant under "false pretenses" were found to infringe upon Charter rights to freedom of expression. However, the Ontario government appealed this decision, seeking to reinstate the struck-down sections. Reinstating these provisions would undermine transparency and harm public trust in Ontario's agricultural sector, as studies indicate consumers are more likely to distrust farms operating under secrecy. A study conducted by the University of British Columbia found that ag-gag laws undermine public confidence in farming and food safety, putting the rural and agricultural economy at risk. A similar study shared by Faunalytics discovered that only 9% of the public had heard of ag-gag laws prior to the study. Participants went from slightly trusting to slightly distrusting farmers. Additionally, an industry publication said that “The concept behind [ag-gag laws] is not good. The Canadian agriculture sector is strongly committed to opening the barn door, not closing it, and ‘ag-gag' laws like those seen in parts of the United States would contradict that commitment."
Solution: Do not appeal this decision.
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) Codes of Practice OMAFRA’s voluntary Codes of Practice are largely industry-driven, allowing harmful practices to persist without meaningful oversight. Practices like battery cages and beak trimming remain legal despite welfare concerns. Solution: Mandate higher-welfare housing systems by phasing out battery cages in favor of enriched housing or cage-free systems. Mandate a ban on painful mutilations like debeaking and toe trimming, except in cases where it is medically necessary and performed with pain relief. Give legal weight to Codes of Practice, making them enforceable under provincial animal welfare laws. Increase inspections and enforcement to ensure compliance, with penalties for non-compliance.
No Support for Farmed Animal Rescue Canada’s entire legal system uses a patchwork approach to animal protection. Between voluntary regulations from the National Farm Animal Care Council, an attempt to silence whistleblowers who call out abuse of farmed animals, and unreliable municipal bylaws, Canada has some of the worst animal protection laws in the world. Solution: Introduce dedicated provincial funding to support farmed animal sanctuaries, ensuring they have access to veterinary care, shelter, and sustainable resources. Provide financial incentives for farmers to transition from industrial animal agriculture to sustainable plant-based farming (e.g., legumes, pulses, and alternative proteins).
While past policies have prioritized maintaining the status quo in animal agriculture, there is a growing opportunity for rural representatives to champion ethical, forward-thinking solutions. However, it is actually in the best interest of not only the animals but the farmers themselves to increase animal protection legislation. By advocating for improved welfare standards, rural representatives can position Ontario as a sustainable, ethical agriculture leader—benefiting animals, farmers, and consumers alike. Warmly, Liz Wheeler Founder, Secondhand Stories
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