Veterinary Profession Act

Consolidated act
Citation
R.S.N.W.T. 1988, c.V-2
Source
Unofficial consolidation PDF (justice.gov.nt.ca)

This is an unofficial reading copy parsed from the Department of Justice consolidation PDF above — itself an office consolidation, not an official statement of the law. The authoritative text is in the Revised Statutes of the Northwest Territories, 1988 and the annual Statutes volumes.

Contents
1. Definitions 2. Veterinary Register 3. Qualifications for registration 4. Validity of licence 5. Persons entitled to practice 6. Removal from Register 7. Board of Inquiry 8. Power of Minister upon finding of guilt 9. Offences and punishment 10. Limitation period 11. Burden of proof 12. Regulations
Regulations
Veterinary Fees Regulations

INTERPRETATION

Definitions

1.

In this Act,

"licence" means a licence to practise veterinary medicine in the Northwest Territories issued under this Act; (permis)

"Register" means the Veterinary Register referred to in subsection 2(1); (registre)

"veterinarian" means a person holding a licence under this Act; (vétérinaire)

"veterinary medicine" means the practice of veterinary medicine, surgery and dentistry, and includes the examining, diagnosing, prescribing, manipulation and treating or the prevention, alleviation or correction of a disease, injury, condition, deformity, defect, or lesion in an animal with or without the use of any instrument, appliance, drug or biologics. (médecine vétérinaire) SNWT 2010,c.19,s.2.; SNWT 2023,c.7,s.42(2).

REGISTRATION AND LICENSING

Veterinary Register

2.

(1) The Minister shall cause a Veterinary Register to be kept, in which shall be entered the names of all persons who are entitled under this Act to be registered in the Veterinary Register.

Licences

(2) The Minister may cause a licence to be issued to any person who is registered in the Register. SNWT 2002,c.17,Sch.L,s.1.

Qualifications for registration

3.

A person who

(a) has been granted a Certificate of Qualification upon successful completion of examinations set by the National Examining Board of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, or

(b) is registered or licenced as a veterinarian in a province or another territory,

(c) Repealed, SNWT 2010,c.19,s.3.

(d) Repealed, SNWT 2010,c.19,s.3.

and who pays the fees required by this Act, is entitled to be registered in the Register. SNWT 2002,c.17, Sch.L,s.2, SNWT 2010,c.19,s.3.

Validity of licence

4.

(1) No licence is valid unless

(a) the annual registration fee in respect of the year for which the licence is issued is paid; and

(b) the holder is registered under subsection 2(1).

Duration of licence

(2) A licence issued under this Act expires on January 15 of the year following the date of issue. SNWT 2010,c.19,s.4.

(3) Repealed, SNWT 2010,c.19,s.4.

Persons entitled to practice

5.

No person is entitled to recover a fee or remuneration for professional services rendered or materials or appliances provided by him or her in the practice of veterinary medicine unless he or she holds a licence under this Act at the time the services are rendered or materials or appliances are provided. SNWT 2010,c.19,s.5.

Removal from Register

6.

(1) The Minister shall cause the name of a person who is registered to be removed from the Register if the person has not, on or before June 30 in any year, paid the annual registration fee.

Reinstatement

(2) A person whose name is removed from the Register under subsection (1) is entitled to have his or her name reinstated on the Register and to receive a licence if that person pays a fee of $25 in addition to the annual registration fee. SNWT 2002,c.17, Sch.L,s.3; SNWT 2010,c.19,s.6.

DISCIPLINE

Board of Inquiry

7.

(1) The Minister may establish a Board of Inquiry composed of two or more persons appointed by the Minister for the purpose of investigating any complaint made against a veterinarian with respect to an alleged contravention of this Act, or any complaint of malpractice or infamous, disgraceful or improper conduct.

Quorum

(2) A majority of the members of a Board of Inquiry is a quorum and a finding by a majority of a Board of Inquiry on any matter is final.

Powers of Board of Inquiry

(3) A Board of Inquiry may

(a) make rules and regulations under which the inquiry is to be held;

(b) summon and bring before it any person whose attendance it considers necessary to enable the Board of Inquiry to properly inquire into the matter complained of;

(c) swear and examine all persons referred to in paragraph (b) under oath;

(d) compel the production of documents; and

(e) do all things necessary to provide a full and proper inquiry.

Finding of Board of Inquiry

(4) A Board of Inquiry shall, after investigation of a complaint under this section, make a finding and shall immediately report its finding to the Minister. SNWT 2002,c.17,Sch.L,s.4; SNWT 2010,c.19,s.7.

Power of Minister upon finding of guilt

8.

(1) Where a veterinarian is, after due inquiry, found by a Board of Inquiry to be guilty of

(a) a contravention of this Act,

(b) malpractice, or

(c) infamous, disgraceful or improper conduct,

the Minister may suspend or cancel the licence of that veterinarian and cause his or her name to be struck off the Register.

Reinstatement

(2) A veterinarian whose name has been struck off the Register or whose licence has been suspended or cancelled, may be reinstated on the Register, his or her licence renewed and his or her rights and privileges under that licence restored, in the manner and on the conditions that the Minister, in his or her discretion, may decide. SNWT 2002,c.17,Sch.L,s.5; SNWT 2010, c.19,s.8.

OFFENCE AND PUNISHMENT

Offences and punishment

9.

A person who, not being the holder of a licence under this Act,

(a) publicly or privately for hire, gain or hope of reward, practises veterinary medicine,

(b) appends to his or her name the title "veterinarian" or "veterinary surgeon" or any abbreviation of such title,

(c) holds himself or herself out in any way to be duly qualified to practise veterinary medicine,

(d) assumes any title or description implying or designed to lead the public to believe that he or she is duly qualified to practise veterinary medicine, or

(e) prescribes or administers medicine for or to animals for hire, gain or hope of reward,

is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000. SNWT 2010,c.19,s.9; SNWT 2023,c.7,s.42(2),(3).

Limitation period

10.

A prosecution for an offence under this Act may not be commenced more than two years after the date the offence is alleged to have been committed. SNWT 2010,c.19,s.10.

Burden of proof

11.

In a prosecution for an offence under this Act the burden of proof that the person against whom the charge is laid is the holder of a licence is on the person against whom the charge is laid.

REGULATIONS

Regulations

12.

The Commissioner, on the recommendation of the Minister, may make regulations

(a) respecting the annual registration fee; and

(b) respecting any matter the Commissioner considers necessary and advisable for the effective carrying out of the intent and purposes of this Act.

SNWT 2010,c.19,s.11.