The legal saga of the deer in Michel-Chartrand Park, in Longueuil, will continue in court. The Quebec Court of Appeal on Tuesday accepted the request for appeal from the Montreal SPCA and lawyer Anne-France Goldwater. A hearing is scheduled for November 25.
Posted at 7:27 p.m.
On October 4, the Superior Court refused the application for a stay filed by Mr.e Goldwater and the Montreal SPCA to suspend a controlled crossbow hunting operation intended to reduce the livestock in Michel-Chartrand Park.
The plaintiffs subsequently filed an application for leave to appeal this decision before the Quebec Court of Appeal on October 19, 2019. Judge Stephen Hamilton accepted their arguments: the case can therefore be heard by the court on November 25. The judge notably indicated “that the situation is exceptional and that the best interests of justice require that leave to appeal be granted”.
The City of Longueuil has obtained a permit from the Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks (MFFP) for a controlled crossbow hunting operation in Michel-Chartrand Park. It has 108 deer, according to the latest report from the MFFP. However, the park with an area of less than 2 km2 can support at most fifteen animals.
The City of Longueuil says it has studied all the options: a round table has also recommended the euthanasia of the animals first, judging the movement too risky for animal well-being.