Caroline Wawzonek

I certainly do appreciate the attempt to solve what is obviously a huge problem for the Northwest Territories. As far as earmarking, though, and taking a specific amount that is within the Department of Finance, under the Northwest Territories Liquor and Cannabis Commission and the sale of liquor, the challenge with earmarking what would otherwise be going into the consolidated revenue fund is that it actually reduces the ability to be flexible that we all have about how we spend all of the money to achieve all of the priorities and the mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories.

Th...

I think, actually, that is a regulatory question, and that then falls back to the Liquor Act review that is underway. The good news is that there is much work happening and many opportunities to affect change that will make things hopefully better. It has to be done in a methodical way and in a process-oriented way. One thing I have discovered in this role is that liquor brings out a myriad of different opinions about whether it should be controlled or whether it should be more open and whether there should be more production or whether there should be less production. It has to be methodical...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The pricing review is not done yet. It is on track and on time, and it should be back by March. Once we have the information back, available to us, we will be able to make some decisions. Right now, beer manufacturing, of which there is exactly one individual, is receiving a fairly significant discount in terms of the typical markup that would normally be seen. Where they are at right now is worked on fairly significantly between that producer and the department, so I am confident, Mr. Speaker, that, when that review information comes back, we will again work with our...

We are on track to deliver on a pressing review about the structure of the pricing of alcohol in the Northwest Territories. As I say, it's on track. It's coming back in March. As soon as I have the information put together, that will demonstrate what, in fact, is happening in other jurisdictions, what best practices there are available, and at that point, we can make a decision based on that information as to whether or not there are best practices that we aren't following and go forward from there.

Mr. Speaker, at this point, if we were to earmark a certain percentage, my concern, of course...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The consolidated revenue fund is the entirety of the budget of the Northwest Territories. That is the money that is spent to do all of the things that the Government of the Northwest Territories does, including funding Health and Social Services, including funding addictions services, including funding housing. It's not misuse. That is really the money that we all, then, come together and decide what we want to do and where we want to allocate it through the budgeting process.

Mr. Speaker, to the extent that there are concerns about the budgeting process as we do the...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document: "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 532-19(2) Environmental Remediation and Economic Recovery." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

This is one time when I want to give a simple answer and say no, but that is not a simple answer. I think it's really more as the Minister of ITI, in some ways, that I think I would be answering this question, which is really around barriers that small businesses, small- and medium-sized businesses, might have in order to open their businesses, become entrepreneurs, or innovate existing businesses. That is the kind of work that gets done regularly.

A couple of examples I would give right now: firstly, with respect to liquor specifically and the Liquor Act, to the extent that there may be some...

If I have understood correctly, there is a request to ensure that we are properly reporting back on how much has come in in terms of any revenue, any actual profits, revenue from sales, and then to determine where that goes. If I understand correctly, that is very difficult. I mean, that goes into the consolidated revenue fund, and it is distributed to every department. As for which percentage goes for addictions treatment, again, we would involve the Department of Health and Social Services, which is certainly the lead on addictions services, with some supports to housing and some supports...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We receive an average of 27 complaints per year.

To give some context and some background, the request for the expression of interest was issued on February 1st, and it closes February 22nd. From that point, then, obviously we will be reviewing what's in there. We would expect to review those proposals beginning on February 28th and we would have to conduct some internal reviews and no doubt engage with stakeholders further before anything further might take place. Hopefully, we would be in a position, subject to those reviews, to be soliciting for formal proposals, if we do indeed go that direction, by the summer.