Jackson Lafferty

The bill came into effect over a year now, and we are still talking about potential one or two Indigenous governments possibly coming onboard. We need to be proactive. We need to be reaching out to these Indigenous governments across the territory, similar to other provincial jurisdictions. It's already established, and any apprehensions, they are the first go-to, Indigenous governments. We should be acting on that, as well, Mr. Speaker. It's a complex matter, negotiating the agreement. It covers funding, liabilities, transition, a scope of policy to be transferred. What supports has this...

Masi, Mr. Speaker. Earlier, I spoke about Bill C-92, federal legislation, the bill that just passed. This government has an important obligation under this Bill C-92, federal Act Respecting First Nations, Inuit and Metis Children, Youth and Families. It sets a mandatory standard for territorial government when it comes to child apprehension and family intervention. It's also gives the territory an obligation role in the devolution of Child and Family Services to Indigenous governments, so I have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Could the Minister tell this House what...

Masi, Mr. Speaker. The Minister alluded to lack of capacity building, lack of resource people within the system. It's time that we reinvest in these areas. We are talking about our children of the Northwest Territories, and this is a worthwhile investment. I certainly hope during the time 2021 comes to an end, where we have reached out to five regions, established an agreement. That is what I would like to see, Mr. Speaker. What role did the territory's Indigenous people play in bringing their children and family services up to the standards set out in Bill C-92? How were they involved? Masi...

That leads to my next question. As agreements are in place with Indigenous governments and provincial jurisdictions across Canada, we should be in that position, as well. Mr. Speaker, the primary instrument for devolving Child and Family Services to Indigenous people under Bill C-92 is a tripartite coordination agreement. This agreement is between an authorized Indigenous government, the federal government, and territorial-provincial government. There could be many tripartite coordination agreements in the NWT like Indigenous governments. Question to the Minister: how many of these agreements...

Masi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] Today, the federal government, I'd like to talk about it. I'd like to ask the questions to the federal government about: when you look at the legislation 292, it is called 292 today, I'd like to, I will ask the Minister of Health and Social Services [Translation ends] National Aboriginal Day, June 21st, marks the second anniversary of a very important new federal law. I refer to Bill C-92, An Act Respecting First Nations, Inuit and Metis Children, Youth and Families.

Mr. Speaker, this landmark federal legislation acknowledges that inherent right of Indigenous...

Masi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] Right now, all of these issues are under the Minister of Finance, how the money and where the money is going. She is the person who makes these major decisions. This is the reason why I'm asking the Minister of Finance. Right now, under Canada, with alcohol, money that we are getting, all that funding we do get, I would like to see the percentage in each department, how far and how much can we get for each department regarding the addiction money that we will get from finance. [Translation ends]

[Translation] If we take a look at the money that is coming in, it's in the millions every year. The money goes to the government. We need to take a closer look at contributing some money towards addictions. [Translation ends]

Mr. Speaker, my next question to the Minister is: why doesn't this government link its addictions treatment spending directly to the millions it rakes in from the retail sales of these intoxicants? Has the Minister considered allocating a certain percentage, possibly 1 or 2 percent, of the revenues earned on an annual basis towards addiction programming or after-care...

Masi. [Translation] Thank you. [End of translation]

In the Northwest Territories, last year alone, the government raked in an incredible $24 million from the sale of intoxicants. This revenue source is called "sin tax" because booze and dope are supposedly bad, but the real sin is how this government misuses this cash once it rolls in. When I say "misuses," Mr. Speaker, I refer to the fact that this money, the money earned through this revenue, every single cent of it goes to the general pot, the general revenue that is used for such things as ministerial travel or the COVID secretariat, et...

I'm glad the Minister is recognizing the huge challenges that we are faced with addictions here in the Northwest Territories. It's a real issue. We need to be dedicating our resources, allocating funds towards that, meaning that we should be taking a certain percentage out of the revenue generated on an annual basis. We need to think outside of the box. We have always said this government is doing things differently. Well, show it. Show the territory that we can do that.

Mr. Speaker, what has the Minister learned from those more enlightened jurisdictions? Other jurisdictions are allocating a...

Masi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] I made my Member's statement regarding addictions. Now the government is making money from alcohol, and all that money goes to the GNWT. I am asking these questions today because I will not be here tomorrow. [Translation ends]

My questions are for the Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Liquor and Cannabis Commission. Mr. Speaker, how can this government reconcile benefitting financially from the substance abuse it is enabling through the $57 million in annual liquor and cannabis sales in this territory? Masi, Mr. Speaker.