Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to speak to the relationship between dogs and the humans in the north. In most northern communities, dogs are not allowed to run loose. However, those dogs that are allowed to run free pose no threat to members of the community. There is a very clear relationship between the dogs and the people. If a dog breaks this relationship, this trust and attacks a human, it is destroyed. No questions asked. The circumstances behind the attacks are of no account. The fact that a dog attacks a human means it must be destroyed.
A few years ago, in Arctic Red River a dog team attacked a passerby. Sadly, the whole team was destroyed because of this act. The fact is, Mr. Speaker, this eliminated the chance of this ever happening again. It is sad but, most aboriginal people know that any dog that violates a human is destroyed without question.
Mr. Speaker, that leads me to a recent case of four-year old Jordan Drybone, who was mauled by a dog this September. To-date, nothing has been done about this dog, despite calls from Jordan's mother, that the dog should be destroyed. Mr. Speaker, by-law advisory constable, Larry Weber, says nothing is being done about the dog. I find it very disturbing that Mr. Weber feels that it is the fault of the boy, that the mauling was brought on because the dog was provoked or teased. I am very concerned about the situation, Mr. Speaker. The dog is shut up behind a fence and tied up. It has very little contact with humans other than its owner. By being confined in a fenced in yard, I doubt the dog would have reacted any other way to strangers.
Mr. Speaker, if anything, the dog is provoked by being confined to a small area. It is unacceptable that nothing has been done because of this matter. It is clear the relationship between humans and a dog has been broken. It hurts me deeply that this boy will have to suffer humiliation and scars of this attack the rest of his life, perhaps never to marry, being reluctant to mingle, be discriminated against. Our policy in this House is zero tolerance towards violence. Why is it, Mr. Speaker, that this animal's welfare is being put above the human being? If any human had been acted in this manner even if provoked, this person would pay a price. Would it be different just because a tyke provoked a dog? The public and our children's safety depends on our acting to protect them and correct the situation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
--Applause