Jewish organizations in Canada are challenging new regulations mandating cognitive tests before slaughter, arguing that these rules effectively mandate the use of a shocker, which is prohibited by Halacha (Jewish Law).
The regulations require animals to undergo tests to ensure they are unconscious before slaughter, but critics say this slows down the process and makes kosher slaughter impractical. Richard Rabkin, CEO of the COR - Kashruth Council of Canada, highlights the commercial challenges posed by these new requirements.
According to the Jewish organizations, the existing kosher method is as humane as the non-kosher method, and possibly even more so, because the animal "loses consciousness almost immediately.”
The statement of claim revealed that the number of kosher meat processing plants in Canada has decreased because of the new regulations, leading to a nearly 50% drop in domestic kosher meat production every week.
The Canadian judge in Ottawa, Justice Guy Régimbald, did not ignore the plaintiffs' position and wrote in his decision that "there are serious issues to consider; whether the guidelines are unreasonable and whether they infringe on the applicants’ rights for religious freedom."
* Arutz 7 contributed to this article.
