Animal Protection Party of Canada

Did you know piglets are still subjected to invasive procedures and killed as part of Canadian military training exercises — despite the availability of modern, non-animal alternatives that are increasingly being adopted around the world?

A new e-petition launched by Sue-Anne Atkins, an activist from Cornwall, Ontario, is calling on the Government of Canada to prohibit the use of live animals, including piglets, in Canadian Armed Forces medical and trauma training and to transition fully to modern, non-animal simulation technologies.

Following key information obtained through an Access to Information request, we played a role in exposing this practice in 2023 through the release of our report, Defenceless: Animal-Based Trauma Training in the Canadian Military. Yet despite growing public concern and the availability of humane alternatives, the federal government has still failed to take meaningful action.

✍️ Please sign the petition today and help push for compassionate, evidence-based training practices: https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-7272

A recent Globe and Mail article revealed that a South African rhino breeder sought approval to export 479 rhino horns to a single address in Ontario — a shipment so large that international experts immediately flagged it as a trafficking risk.

In both the rhino‑horn case and the macaque trade, Canada takes a hands‑off approach. This is exactly how endangered long‑tailed macaques continue entering Canadian labs despite years of warnings about illegal capture, laundering of wild animals as “captive‑bred,” U.S. federal indictments, and heightened concerns about dwindling wild populations.

The rhino‑horn case is a warning. The macaque trade is an ongoing crisis. Both show that Canada’s wildlife trade system is not equipped — or not willing — to prevent illegal trafficking.

Future generations deserve to live in a world with wild rhinos and monkeys. And in keeping with the Seventh Generation Principle — the idea that our decisions today must protect the wellbeing of those who come long after us — we have a responsibility to act with foresight, not convenience.

Canada has the tools to fix this. Now we need the political will to act. Read our full blog post about this issue here: https://www.animalprotectionparty.ca/canadas-wildlife-trade-blind-spot-from-rhino-horns-to-macaques-the-pattern-is-clear/

We surpassed our petition goal! Thank you for raising your voice for long-tailed macaques! ✍️

Our latest e-petition calling on the Minister of the Environment to protect long-tailed macaques shipped from Cambodia to Canada has now officially closed with 5,241 signatures—surpassing our previous e-petition and showing growing public concern for these endangered primates.

This momentum comes at a particularly important time as we mark International Macaque Week, highlighting the urgent need to end the exploitation of macaques in international trade.🐒

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who signed, shared, and helped amplify this issue. Your voices are pushing this conversation forward in a meaningful way.

Now, we wait for the petition to be formally presented in the House of Commons—and for the government’s response.

📣 Stay tuned for updates!

"Video footage recorded inside a York University research facility by a whistleblower working with a U.S.-based group Last Chance for Animals (LCA), reveals disturbing conditions and ethically questionable research practices. The research involves at least nine non-human primates, six of whom have been confined at the facility in Ontario for up to 17 years. Animal Alliance of Canada is calling on the Premier to immediately ban all primate research in the province."

Take action today: https://www.animalalliance.ca/campaigns/end-primate-research-in-ontario/

Canada’s new “sustainable development” plan once again ignores one of the biggest drivers of climate change, biodiversity loss, and ecosystem harm: animal-based food systems.

In the 2022–2026 Strategy, we flagged this as a fatal omission, releasing and submitting a detailed report on the error with recommendations for improvement.

Now, the draft 2026–2029 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy repeats the same mistake.

We’ve submitted detailed comments calling for the Strategy to finally recognize animal-based food systems as key structural drivers of environmental harm, and to include concrete, measurable targets to shift toward sustainable, plant-rich diets.

We also raised serious concerns about exotic wildlife trade and use, Parks Canada’s ongoing use of lethal wildlife “management” in national parks, calling instead for transparent, non-lethal, science-based approaches that respect wild animals.

Do you share our concerns? You can help change this. Public comments on the draft 2026–2029 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy are open until May 12, 2026.

Add your voice before the deadline: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/corporate/transparency/consultations/share-your-throughts-draft-2026-2029-federal-sustainable-development-strategy.html

Read our full report:https://www.animalprotectionparty.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/APPC-Sustainable-Development-submission.pdf

Since 2022, the Animal Protection Party of Canada and Animal Alliance of Canada have worked with PETA, Abolición Vivisección, and Canadian scientists to expose Canada's role in an international wildlife trafficking crisis and pushed for meaningful federal action.

Federal e-petition 7020 closes tomorrow on April 28, 2026—we urge you to sign today if you have not yet done so, and share this petition with your networks: https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-7020&fbclid=IwY2xjawRcfS9leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFsQUhTVThvRGs3dFFqN2M0c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHhX6aLKUftVLqzvCyo37M3UA7EtIMUp_OQtpQxOKi00u8UGRg2CXB2R2DkNf_aem_5YKxGi9MWi-Nz85i0P5l3A

We encourage you to register and attend this important panel event hosted by Animal Alliance of Canada tomorrow at 1PM ET: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2t-G0vXYRs-ZibrohoXp9w

This virtual panel brings together leading experts to explore the growing field of Non-Animal Models (NAMs) — innovative scientific tools and techniques that are transforming how research and testing are conducted without relying on animals. The session will combine expert-led discussion with live audience Q&A, offering attendees a grounded and accessible introduction to a field that is rapidly developing in Canada and globally.

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2t-G0vXYRs-ZibrohoXp9w

UPCOMING WEBINAR: Moving Beyond Animal Testing - An Introduction to New Approach Methodologies in Research 🧬

Join us on April 24 at 1PM EST for this timely live panel event on World Day for Animals in Labs: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2t-G0vXYRs-ZibrohoXp9w #/registration

"If we don't test on animals, how will we advance medical discoveries and develop new pharmaceuticals?" A question we hear often — and exactly what this panel aims to address.

This virtual panel brings together leading experts to explore the growing field of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) — innovative scientific tools and techniques that are transforming how research and testing are conducted without relying on animals. Hosted by Animal Alliance of Canada, the event is designed for students, academics, lobbyists, policymakers, and engaged members of the public who want to understand where the science stands today and what the path forward looks like.

The session will combine expert-led discussion with live audience Q&A, offering attendees a grounded and accessible introduction to a field that is rapidly developing in Canada and globally.

Panelists include:

🧬 Lorna Ewart, PhD — Chief Scientific Officer, Emulate, Inc.

🧬 Tara Barton-Maclaren, PhD — Senior Research Manager, Prioritization and Emerging Science Division, Health Canada and;

🧬 Troy Seidle — Member of Animal Alliance's Advisory Group on Humane Science, President of the Animal Alliance of Canada Fund

Who should attend:

→ Members of the public interested in human-relevant science
→ Legal, academic, medical, and research professionals
→ Animal welfare and advocacy organizations
→ Students and educators
→ Anyone seeking a clear, evidence-based explanation of new approach methodologies

Can't make it to the live event? No problem. Register anyway and you'll receive a full recording of the webinar along with any resources shared during the session so you can stay informed and ready to advocate for animals in Canada.

Register to reserve your space today: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2t-G0vXYRs-ZibrohoXp9w #/registration

A Missing Monkey, 23 Hours in Transit, and a Broken System 💔

On Sept 3, 2025, 720 long‑tailed macaques arrived in Canada after more than 23 hours in transport — five monkeys per crate the entire way.

A CFIA inspector did the required arrival check but noted no issues. With 720 monkeys in 144 crates, it’s hard to imagine more than a quick glance per crate.

After a 30‑day quarantine at Charles River Labs, CFIA returned — and found only 719 monkeys. Staff said one had been euthanized due to a fracture.

When CFIA asked for details, they were told:

“A necropsy confirmed no signs of transmissible disease.”

But CFIA did not perform the necropsy, did not see the body, and did not request documentation. They accepted a verbal assurance and closed the file.

This shipment exposes serious systemic issues:

- Extreme confinement
- Minimal inspection
- A death with no independent verification
- No explanation for a fatal fracture
- Endangered animals imported with little transparency

A government petition calling for oversight closes April 28. We urge you to sign today: https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-7020&fbclid=IwY2xjawPXMoNleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFxUzZrcjVUT1VQY3RxSXlvc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHubbVIh63p1j9luFkQAPQWIHtjDCugP9XTT1wc3rTkvly1U9przqHZxjDlqi_aem_RpPu43wIOCdt4kj5_ERc7w

📷 Image credits:

First image shown: Jo-Anne McArthur We Animals

Second image shown: Monkeys in transport crates at the beginning of their long and grueling journey to labs around the world, where they will endure invasive testing and a lifetime of captivity.

Warning: some of the images seen here may be disturbing to some viewers.

Thousands of endangered long-tailed macaques continue to be imported into Canada, destined for use in laboratory experiments. Despite mounting evidence of illegal trafficking, falsified permits, and serious public health risks, the Canadian government has failed to prioritize protecting this endangered species.

Before the monkeys ever reach a cargo plane, many of their lives begin in the forests of Cambodia. Investigations and recent footage show that countless long-tailed macaques are illegally trapped in the wild, torn from their social groups, and funnelled into the international trade by being falsely labeled as “captive-bred.” The very farm where these photos were taken ships monkeys directly to Canada, meaning wild-caught individuals may be entering our country under the guise of “legitimate” breeding operations.

Inside these facilities, thousands of macaques are confined in crowded metal cages, often stacked in long rows or packed tightly together. These operations run as high‑volume production systems, breeding and processing monkeys to meet the relentless global demand for laboratory experiments.

Photographs from inside these farms—including the images shown here—reveal barren, industrial environments where sentient, intelligent primates are denied nearly every natural behaviour: climbing, foraging, exploring, forming stable social bonds, or raising their young. Whether wild‑caught or born on site, the result is the same: they spend their lives in captivity and die as nameless research subjects.

For the monkeys destined for use in research overseas—like here in Canada, the breeding farm is only the beginning of a long journey marked by confinement, stress, and ultimately invasive experimentation and death.

A new federal e-petition (e-7020) is now open for signatures, and we need your help to demand accountability. This petition follows the government’s response to the Animal Protection Party of Canada’s earlier e-petition on this issue. The government reply to that e-petition failed to address the urgency of the situation or the serious ethical and environmental concerns raised by the continued use of an endangered species as disposable “research tools.” Instead, the response largely reiterated outdated policy.

The petition closes on April 28, 2026—please sign today: https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-7020&fbclid=IwY2xjawPXMoNleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFxUzZrcjVUT1VQY3RxSXlvc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHubbVIh63p1j9luFkQAPQWIHtjDCugP9XTT1wc3rTkvly1U9przqHZxjDlqi_aem_RpPu43wIOCdt4kj5_ERc7w

Click here to read the full blog post with more information: https://www.animalprotectionparty.ca/protect-endangered-monkeys-from-research-in-canada/