Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs how his department supports the administration of the Dog Act in the Northwest Territories. This is an important piece of legislation around cruelty to dogs in our communities. It's the only piece of animal welfare legislation in the Northwest Territories, and the SPCA does a lot of work to promote and protect healthy -- health and wellness in dogs and help their owners out. So how is the department helping communities meet their needs towards the administration of the Dog Act? Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Range Lake. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs supports local governments in establishing and utilizing their municipal bylaws for dogs in the communities. But I'm not too familiar with the Dog Act as it was raised here, so I'll have to get back to the Member with an answer for his question. Thank you.
Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, for example, the city of Yellowknife is contracting the SPCA to operate their pound. That's an additional cost to the SPCA. They don't have staff resources for it. So does the department provide resources to do -- to operate pounds, operate bylaw officers who can enforce the Dog Act? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like other communities, those are responsibilities for the municipality and that would be an agreement, I'm sure, between the city and the SPCA. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Final supplementary. Member from Range Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if there is signs of abuse against dogs or, you know, dogs being treated poorly in communities, what are the enforcement mechanisms available to the Minister to prevent that in our communities? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like I said, a lot of that stuff is related with the community bylaws. But, however, I will get back to the Member with his question and see how much more I can dig into in regards to the Dog Act. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Oral questions. Member from Yellowknife Centre.
