Kendra Coulter, Chair of Labour Studies in Brock’s Faculty of Social Sciences, and Brock graduate Brittany Campbell (BA ’17) had a piece published in the Winnipeg Free Press about how Manitoba must improve its protection of animals.

They write:

“Ontario has made headlines recently because the province began 2020 with the creation of a dedicated, public animal protection team. The move was noteworthy because in most Canadian provinces, animal cruelty investigations have been de-prioritized by successive governments and off-loaded to charities — highly unusual for law enforcement.

So how does Manitoba compare? The province’s approach is a bit different and has impressive elements. There are also policies that could be improved, in the interest of better protecting animals, the public and the people who do this difficult yet crucial work.

Animal protection is one of the mandates of Manitoba’s chief veterinary office, a branch of the ministry of agriculture. It was Gary Doer’s government that laudably moved animal cruelty investigations under the public umbrella. Manitoba stands out for recognizing that animal well-being is both a matter of significant ethical concern and a public health and safety issue worthy of sustained investment.”