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But the Eastern grey squirrel (Order: Rodentia) is not on that list, which means Twiggy’s performance has been illegal in Vancouver since one year before her 1979 Florida debut. (There have been several Twiggies.)

It makes some sense. If you could force Eastern grey squirrels to water-ski for your amusement, Stanley Park would be overrun with enterprising squirrel catchers. Instead, it is overrun with squirrels. Furthermore, if squirrels really wanted to go water-skiing, one wouldn’t have to teach them.

Twiggy is a presentation of Twiggy Inc., and the Vancouver International Boat Show is owned by the Boating B.C. Association and produced by Canadian Boat Shows Inc. These entities appear to be risking serious fines by continuing to present the water-skiing squirrel in Vancouver.

According to the bylaw, each one of Twiggy’s performances is punishable on conviction by a fine ranging from $500 to $10,000, and that’s to say nothing of the fine for a continuing offence because Twiggy is scheduled to perform at least twice a day through Friday, and seven more times over the weekend.

Spokeswoman Laura Ballance said Thursday that the Vancouver International Boat Show has complied with and obtained all federal licensing requirements related to Twiggy, including veterinary oversight, and stressed that Twiggy, a rescue squirrel, offers an educational seminar about water safety.

“The presentation has been very well-received by the children who it is designed to educate about water and life jacket safety as well as their parents, and we have had nothing but positive feedback,” said Ballance. “One of the core goals of the show, which provides a crucial showcase for the hundreds of small, largely family-owned businesses across our province, is to educate our guests about water safety.”