Shane Thompson

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would like to thank the honourable Member for Frame Lake for bringing this motion forward.

In looking at this, and listening to the data out there, it's 25 and under. If we really want to have an impact on our youth and the brain development, we shouldn't allow it until the age of 25. When we talk about the possession of 10 grams or less, but it doesn't talk about the possession at home. They could have 10 grams in their pocket, and they can still have a whack of it at home. Ten grams is a lot. As we travelled, a gram works out to be about three joints. What's that? I'm...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the government is calling this motion a compromise because they would be required to develop regulations in six months. This isn't a compromise. It is a bait and switch. This government is trying to bamboozle Members so that they don't really see what is going on. What is really going on is that this government's motion leaves all the power in the hands of the Minister to grant vendor licences to liquor stores only. That's the part that they don't want committee to change. I can't say it any plainer than that.

Six months, one year, two years, it doesn't matter...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I am going to start out a little something here personally. People realize I personally did not support the legalization of cannabis. I would have liked to have seen the legalization process adjourned for at least another year. We heard that in the communities to get it done right. Unfortunately, this was brought by the federal government, and we needed to get it done right, as I said before.

I am one of the MLAs who represent small communities. I want to make that very clear. There are six communities in my riding, five small communities and one regional centre...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Again, I am just asking this here. Can we get a complete update when the Minister is able to provide that to the committee? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I probably have one, maybe two, questions in regard to this here. When the Minister is providing this information to committee, can you tell us what strains? I have just found out there are over 3,000 different strains of the product. Will the Minister be able to provide us a list of this information? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, but unfortunately, I didn't get an answer. I heard a reduction of 5 per cent, you know, but it didn't say if that was in there, this reduction. I guess, the Minister of Finance, maybe I should be asking him the questions on that, but I'll worry about that later on. So my last question: with the huge increases to NWT lease fees, can the Minister please advise the House what the residents will see when it comes to the service being offered by the GNWT? Are they enhancing the services? Are they doing anything, including for these people out there who have cabins out in the bush? Thank...

I thank the Minister for his answer. I guess consultation is different in my books. I think we should be engaging. We should actually be going to the communities and talking to them, and not just downloading a whole bunch of letters to them and expecting them to understand what we are talking about, but I will take the Minister up on it and get to see the letter, and we will go from there.

When the government was looking at this increase, I was wondering why they didn't have an implementation over a period of time on that instead of just the one-time shot. Can the Minister explain why this idea...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, for 31 years, Brian Jaffray has been teaching and working with the students of the Nahendeh/Dehcho region. It is with sadness and joy that I announce Brian's retirement after this school year. Brian has worked at the Echo-Dene School and the Dehcho Divisional Education Council office. He was awarded the Governor General's Medal for Teaching Excellence in History, and today he was inducted into the Education Hall of Fame. Brian, I would like to thank you for the positive impact you have had over the years, and I wish you the best in your retirement. Thank...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. After listening to Mr. O'Reilly with his motion and thinking about it long and hard, in one of the communities I represent we have a rationing system in place right now. So I thought about it and I think I'm going to support this. I understand the challenges there right now, but I think this gives the communities a chance to look at it after a twoyear period of time to see if this is what they want to do. This is a tool, and I thank him very much for bringing forward this motion, and I will be supporting it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Brian and Terry Jaffray. Brian received introduction into the Hall of Fame this year. As well, last year, Terry Jaffray was recognized. Both, I would consider friends and good supporters, so I thank them very much for being recognized, and good job. He is also part of the fire department and very active in the curling club, so thank you very much, Brian. As well, I would like to recognize again my CA, Debra Richards. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.