Vol. 146, No. 8 — April 11, 2012

Registration

SOR/2012-50 March 21, 2012

CRIMINAL CODE

Regulations Amending the Pari-Mutuel Betting Supervision Regulations

The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, pursuant to subsection 204(9) (see footnote a) of the Criminal Code (see footnote b), hereby makes the annexed Regulations Amending the Pari-Mutuel Betting Supervision Regulations.

Ottawa, March 20, 2012

GERRY RITZ
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

REGULATIONS AMENDING THE PARI-MUTUEL
BETTING SUPERVISION REGULATIONS

AMENDMENT

1. Paragraph 1(d) of the schedule to the Pari-Mutuel Betting Supervision Regulations (see footnote 1) is amended by adding the following in alphabetical order:

Dexmedetomidine (Dexmédétomidine)

Robenacoxib (Robénacoxib)

COMING INTO FORCE

2. These Regulations come into force on the day on which they are registered.

REGULATORY IMPACT ANALYSIS STATEMENT

(This statement is not part of the Regulations.)

Description

The Pari-Mutuel Betting Supervision Regulations (the Regulations) are designed to protect the integrity of pari-mutuel betting on horse races authorized under section 204 of the Criminal Code. Drugs and medications administered to race horses could affect the outcome of a pari-mutuel race. Drugs that are veterinary medications approved for sale in Canada may be administered to a horse but, with few exceptions, including vitamins and some anti-parasitic and antimicrobial agents, they must not be present in a horse’s system when it races.

This amendment adds the drugs Robenacoxib and Dexmedetomidine to section 1 of the Schedule of drugs to the Regulations.

Alternatives

There are no appropriate alternatives.

Benefits and costs

The impact of this amendment will be positive because the prohibition of a potentially performance-altering drug will continue to protect the bettor, the integrity of the racing industry, and the credibility of the Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency (CPMA) Equine Drug Control Program.

There are no significant costs or environmental impact associated with this regulatory amendment.

Consultation

The CPMA consults with the Federal Drug Advisory Committee, consisting of veterinarians, pharmacologists and chemists, when proposing to add a drug to the Schedule. The Committee supports this regulatory action.

Provincial racing commissions continue to endorse the CPMA’s Equine Drug Control Program, including the maintenance of the Schedule of prohibited drugs.

Compliance and enforcement

Information on additions to the Schedule is provided to all industry sectors, so that they know which substances to avoid when treating horses scheduled to race.

Compliance with the CPMA’s Equine Drug Control Program is accomplished by the testing of post-race samples of urine or blood taken from race horses. Positive results are reported to the provincial racing commissions for appropriate action under their Rules of Racing.

This amendment will not increase the current requirements for compliance and enforcement activities.

Contact

Lydia Brooks
Manager
Research and Analysis
Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
P.O. Box 5904, LCD Merivale
Ottawa, Ontario
K2C 3X7
Telephone: 613-949-0745
Fax: 613-949-1538
Email: lydia.brooks@agr.gc.ca

Footnote a
S.C. 1994, c. 38, par. 25(1)(g)

Footnote b
R.S., c. C-46

Footnote 1
SOR/91-365