Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to follow up on my Member’s statement today. My question is to the Minister of Finance. On the sale of alcohol and liquor in the Northwest Territories, specifically the contracted liquor stores, how is the sale of alcohol controlled in the Northwest Territories with the contracted vendors? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we all know the devastating addiction problems we are having in the Northwest Territories. Addictions are ruining our communities and our homes. Alcohol is one of the worst addictions in our communities. With alcohol, we don’t have to find someone to sell it to you. You don’t have to search in back alleys, as it’s always available in communities. In fact, in magazines and on television, they encourage you to buy it and buy a lot of it because they say it will make your life better and you will have more fun with it. Well, they couldn’t be more wrong, Mr...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a written question to the Minister of Finance.

What is the total amount of alcohol sales from the Norman Wells liquor store?

How many alcohol sales in total are there in the NWT?

What percentage of total revenue does the Sahtu region contribute to the total revenue by purchasing alcohol from liquor stores?

Are there any types of alcohol bans such as overproof alcohol in Canada?

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Now that the dust has settled in the Sahtu, would the Minister of MACA advise the House, maybe there is a possibility that he could help with putting more money into the chipsealing program, because only two communities in the whole Northwest Territories are going to be chipsealed. Larger centres have paved roads, but the smaller communities are suffering with dust. It is terrible in those communities.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, would the Minister consider looking at a controlled ban on the sale of overproof alcohol in the Northwest Territories, and look at some of the problems that are caused by the sale of overproof alcohol in our communities? Would he consider an all out ban once and for all in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Minister. Are the communities somewhat consulted about how the liquor is sold when it is brought into the communities in terms of the product that is on sale? How are the communities consulted with the sale of alcohol in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize two former chiefs, Gerry Cheezie and Richard Edjericon.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in keeping in line with the GNWT’s goals for this Assembly here, I want to ask the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs the question on the issue of the land claims implementation on some of the agreements; specifically the Sahtu Land Claims Agreement under chapter 12 on the economic measures. I understand there was a similar agreement that was signed with the Gwich’in beneficiaries and I want to ask the Minister the status as to when the Sahtu beneficiaries can see some movement or progress in terms of having their agreement also implemented under that specific...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So if the citizens of the Sahtu region wish to change the dates of the spring break to take advantage of the traditional on-the-land spring hunt activities, they would then have to contact or lobby the Sahtu educational board. Is that correct? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member’s statement today, I talked about the children, about needing them to go on a scheduled spring break and take advantage of our annual spring hunts on the land with their parents and elders. Can the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment tell me whether there is a requirement by the department to hold spring breaks at certain times of the year? Thank you.