May 1, 2017 Newsletter

On Sunday, Vancouver Aquarium CEO Dr John Nightingale spoke to our Vancouver group about the Aquarium's educational and scientific work with the whales and dolphins in their care (as well as those in nearby waterways).

You can listen to Dr Nightingale's presentation on our podcast. In it, he discusses the Vancouver Parks Board's recent decision to move toward a bylaw banning the keeping of cetaceans in Stanley Park. That draft of that bylaw is expected on May 15.

Despite the terminology, Humanists are concerned not only with the health and well-being of human beings but of all life and the environment as well. So the debate over the welfare of cetaceans in captivity is one on which reasonable Humanists have disagreed.

By hosting Dr Nightingale, I hope we were able to spark a dialogue on these issues. For those who feel motivated to write in support of the Aquarium, you can do so at VanAqua.org. For those looking to read the other side, you can read the Vancouver Humane Society's December 2016 report on the Aquarium here.

This talk, like most of our events, was not an endorsement but an effort to promote reasoned dialogue about current ethical issues.

Annual General Meeting

Our Annual General Meeting is coming up on Sunday, May 7, 2017 at 10:00 AM at Oakridge Seniors' Centre.

Let us know if you're interested in standing for the board. We'll also be voting on a new constitution and bylaws.

You must be a member to vote at the AGM - check or renew your membership now.

Full details are on our website.

Delta Police respond

Last month we wrote to Delta Police Chief Neil Dubbord about a recent Interfaith Symposium his Department took part in.

Chief Dubbord has now responded and you can read his reply on our website.

New on our website

Podcast: Dr John Nightingale - Vancouver Aquarium and Cetaceans

Dr Nightingale is CEO of the Vancouver Aquarium and talks about its educational and research mandates in light of the recent efforts to ban cetaceans in captivity at the Aquarium.