‘Say neigh to live horse export’: Why Jann Arden is busking in Vancouver this week

A Canadian icon is busking on the streets of Vancouver to protest live horse exports from Canada to foreign countries.
Musician, actor, author and activist Jann Arden launched her musical awareness campaign on Sunday with a pop-up performance at Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver, and plans to continue in the downtown core on Monday, according to her social media posts.
“I want to thank everyone in North Vancouver for coming to hear me busking down at the Quay,” Arden wrote on Twitter Monday.
Her efforts on the North Shore managed to raise more than $400 for the campaign “Horsesh*t.”
The goal, according to initiative’s website, is to “end legislation allowing Canada to export live horses under conditions of duress for human consumption.”
In December 2021, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a mandate to ban this practice to the agriculture minister, which has yet to be fulfilled.
The latest data by Statistics Canada suggests more than 2,000 horses have been shipped from Canada to Japan, where raw horse meat is a delicacy, since 2021.
That same year, Toronto MP Nathanial Erskine-Smith and Arden launched a petition calling for the end of live horse exports, which amassed 36,715 signatures by the time it closed this past February.
“Horses have shaped this country. They have carried us on their backs and plowed our fields. Like dogs and cats, they are our companions. We don’t need to treat them this way,” Arden wrote on her campaign’s website.
She says many of the horses that are exported out of Canada die before reaching the location where their destined to be slaughtered, after being crammed into wooden crates and deprived of food and water for up to 28 hours.
Arden plans to campaign in Vancouver until June 7.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories

What you need to know about the election of a new Speaker
On Tuesday, MPs will be electing a new Speaker of the House of Commons, in the wake of Anthony Rota's resignation. It will be a day for the Canadian political history books, as well as a day full of pomp and procedure. Here's what you need to know about the role, the contenders, and the process.
Where can I get a COVID-19 rapid test? CTV News looks at the rules in each province and territory
As Canadians prepare for another respiratory virus season this fall and winter, some may be curious to know if what they have is a cold, flu or possibly COVID-19. With rapid antigen tests being one popular option, CTV News looks at how many are still in stock in Canada and where you can get one.
DEVELOPING Donald Trump says he will be in courtroom for New York trial scrutinizing his business practices
With control over some of his most prized real estate holdings in jeopardy, former U.S. president Donald Trump said he'll make a rare, voluntary trip to court in New York on Monday for the start of a civil trial in a lawsuit that already has resulted in a judge ruling that he committed fraud in his business dealings.
Couple and dog killed by bear at Banff National Park
Two people are dead after a bear attack in Alberta's Banff National Park.
Homeowners brace for mortgage payment shock amid higher-for-longer rate outlook
From ultra-low interest rates that led to a huge spike in real estate demand to the speed with which interest rates shot up to levels not seen in a generation, it's been hard to keep up with the shifting landscape for mortgage holders.
Taylor Swift watches Travis Kelce's Chiefs take on the Jets at MetLife Stadium
Taylor Swift couldn't just shake off another chance to watch Travis Kelce on the football field. The 12-time Grammy Award winner arrived at MetLife Stadium about 40 minutes before kickoff Sunday night to watch Kelce and his Kansas City Chiefs take on the New York Jets.
Minimum wage rises in six provinces, but is it enough?
Amid a cost-of-living crisis driving up food bank visits and economic anxiety, the minimum wage increased in six provinces today – but both advocates and critics fear it may not be enough to tackle the overarching problem.
Ontario expands pharmacists' prescription powers to include 6 more common ailments
Ontario residents can now access treatment and medication for six more common ailments at pharmacies across the province.
Chair hogs, dining divas and boorish boozers: Is cruising etiquette lost at sea?
When it comes to uncouth, uncultured and downright unacceptable behaviour on ships, experts in travel etiquette and cruising have seen it all. They share plenty of bad behaviours for passengers to avoid (and good ones they should emulate).