Moore called keeping whales and dolphins in captivity “unjustifiably cruel,” adding they “share characteristics such as high-level intelligence, emotions, sociability, complex communication ability and roaming lifestyles.

“In the view of many, these characteristics oblige us to extend these creatures moral consideration,” Moore told the committee.

Moore said the assertion that the bill would halt research was “simply untrue” and that the reality was the opposite.

“The bill provides for continuing research on cetaceans that they now have in their possession,” Moore said. “It also provides for research on rescued cetaceans they might come upon in the future that cannot be returned to the wild because they can't exist in the wild. They would be able to keep those and do research on those.”

Moore tangled with Manitoba Sen. Don Plett, who has in the past called S-203 “fundamentally flawed, constitutionally suspect, contrary to over 100 years of environmental legislation and policy, scientifically unsound, contrary to public interest and bad for the economy.”

When Moore appeared before the committee, Plett took the opportunity to grill the former senator about former Marineland trainer Phil Demers, who was among the former park employees who spoke to the Toronto Star during its investigation into the park. Demers was also on hand in Ottawa when Moore first introduced the bill in May 2015 alongside Green party leader Elizabeth May.

Plett asked Moore if he was concerned that “Mr. Demers’ continuous allegations have all been unsubstantiated and have resulted in not one single charge against Marineland?”

He also said Demers was “not qualified to treat not even a house cat” and was putting himself up as an expert witness.

“Mr. Demers will answer for himself when he comes before you, which I hope he does,” Moore said.

When reached by Niagara this Week, Demers said Plett’s echoing of statements that have been made about him by Marineland in court proceedings — Demers is involved in a $1.5-million lawsuit brought against him by the park — was not a good sign.

“I think it’s a little concerning when (he) would take verbatim quotes from Marineland being used in their SLAPP suit against me and contextualize them to muddy the debate,” Demers said. “It distracts from the real issue.”

As for his being “unqualified,” Demers said it “doesn’t take a lot to know when an animal is suffering.”

The Vancouver Aquarium, meanwhile, lost two of its three belugas back in November with the death of a mother and her calf. But the aquarium said it plans to expand its research program by bringing back belugas on loan to other facilities. That program would wind down by 2029.

Asked by P.E.I. senator Elizabeth Hubley what he thought about that, Moore said he didn’t know “the significance of that date” and how it was arrived at by the aquarium.

“If they bring them back, maybe that's the end of their life,” Moore said. “I don't know what their anticipation is. If it is wrong in 2029, it's wrong in 2017. I don't think it should be happening.”

Marineland, meanwhile, will be back in provincial court on March 23 to answer 11 animal cruelty charges laid by the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals concerning the health of some of its land animals.

Additionally, the park said the most recent inspection at the facility by the OSPCA in late February found “no issues of concern.”