As this legislation just came through, I know there was concern about funding for all communities across the Northwest Territories. As the Member knows, we just recently did have an election and we are going to be reaching out to the new mayors, the new councils, the new NWTAC, if there's going to be an NWTAC board, and have these kinds of discussions with them. We knew this legislation was going to be coming in. We had discussions and concerns brought up at our last meeting, when Cabinet did meet with the NWTAC. We will continue work with the local government administration, as well, and make sure that, as this legislation unfolds, we will be there to adapt and revise any types of work that we need to.
Right now, funding enforcements, we don't know what they are going to be. We are going to have to work with the Department of Justice as well as other departments to make sure that we can adjust to how this legislation proceeds. So it's early days and we will be working with this interdepartmental committee to make the necessary changes. Like I said, working with the partners, the NWTAC and LGANT.
MACA's School of Community Government does very important work in our small communities. Can the Minister commit to developing training materials for delivery through the school on cannabis-related municipal planning and enforcement from the community's perspective?
Yes, that is a very good idea. With my other hat, the Housing Corporation, we are looking at developing some signage and communication to get out to all our public housing units. I know the Department of Health and Social Services is working on some really good education and awareness information. So we will work with our committee to see what we can develop, and we do have some really good training opportunities, where we can go online and do some kind of, like, eLearning workshops with our regional centres, so that is a very interesting concept. We will make sure that our interdepartmental committee takes that into consideration when we are getting this information out to our regions and out to the communities.
Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Last week, she put out a news release that said that education leaders were interested in talking about cannabis when she met with them and that ECE had compiled information for students, teachers, and parents so they are fully aware of the regulations surrounding this matter. My first question is: does the information only deal with regulations, or does it deal with health effects, as well? Thank you.
Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The information does deal with health effects, as well, especially geared towards the student population.
Thank you for that response from the Minister. The Minister also said that the information would be circulated well in advance of the October 17th legalization date. Can she please confirm that that was the case?
Yes, we have given all the information to the district authorities. I am assuming they have done it at the beginning of September, or at least in October; they are getting that out to all of the principals within all of the schools, so by now all schools should have the information available.
At the level of parents, what information can they expect to find in the future on the ECE website about cannabis education in the school? I note that there does not seem to be anything there at this point.
We are trying to do as much as we can. We are working with Health and Social Services. There was a brochure sent out to every resident in the Northwest Territories, I believe, with information on it. We have done quite a few things. On October 3rd, we had a Facebook Live on our ECE website that was talking with Dr. Matthew Hill, who was talking about the effects of marijuana. Again, we used him on October 4th at NACC, our Northern Arts and Cultural Centre. He was in person. There was an online webinar especially geared towards grades 7 to 12. October 9th, we did an online webinar in French. October 10th, we did more presentations provided to all the principals, et cetera. However, I do take the Member's note, and, if we do not have enough information, I will review that and we need to bump it up. If we do not have enough on there, then we need to make sure it's accessible, so thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you for bringing it forward.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for her responsiveness. My final question is: if parents have questions about the cannabis information or about cannabis as it relates to students and their children, is there a number they can call or an email address they can use to ask those questions, whether of this Minister or of any other Minister?
Parents, of course, like I say, we are trying to keep them as informed as possible. We recognize there is a lot of fear out there, and there should be a lot of fear out there. They can contact their principals at any time for any of these instances, but we also have it on the Executive and Indigenous Affairs website. I am going to try to read this off. It's https://www.eia.gov.nt.ca/en/cannabis, and on that site you can get information, common questions, contact forms for specific questions. Again, we are trying to keep parents as informed as possible. We are giving literature for students, for teachers, for parents, and we will monitor it. As needs come forward, if we find out we need more, we will try to do our best to accommodate that need.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. My questions are for the Minister of Lands and have nothing to do with cannabis. I visited the old Esso tank farm adjacent to the Con Mine here in Yellowknife recently and found the site in a bad state. I even sent the Minister some rather nasty photos. Although the tanks are finally gone, some of the fencing is about to fall down, and the old mine tailings remain uncovered. Can the Minister tell us who is responsible for fixing the fence that is beginning to fall over at this site? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Minister of Lands.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The parcel of land that is known as the Esso tank farm is titled to in fee simple by Imperial Oil, so the condition of the site is the responsibility of Imperial Oil, including when they choose to remediate the site. The fencing also, as I understand it, belongs to Esso.
I would like to thank the Minister for that. This is not the first time I have raised the issue in the House, so can the Minister commit to picking up the phone and calling Imperial Oil about fixing the site out there?
I don't think I am going to be phoning Imperial Oil, but I do understand that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has been communicating with Imperial Oil about the property during the demolition phase, so there has been contact between Imperial Oil and the GNWT.
I thank the Minister for that. I know I was a bit facetious, but the fence is about to fall over, and we don't want people getting in there and running around. When I was out at the site, there were also all-terrain vehicle tracks outside the fence, on bare mine tailings. It's not clear whether this is part of the road right-of-way or what. Can the Minister tell us: who is responsible for the remediation of the areas outside the fence, next to the road itself, as this material is being spread all over the place?
I understand that the roadway itself is on GNWT land, but the city maintains the road.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. Well, I appreciate the response from the Minister. Since this is GNWT land which is right next to the roadway itself, what are we doing, then, to deal with the tailings that are there? Because there are all-terrain vehicle tracks, and the stuff is being spread out. It's our responsibility. What is the Minister doing about it?
Yes, as I mentioned, the roadway is apparently owned by the GNWT. I perhaps can get back to the Member opposite after I have spoken with ENR also about this, as well as my own department. I think a more detailed response would be necessary. Thank you.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister of Finance about the regulations for private sales that he has brought forward. I have taken a look at them, and the concerns I have heard from other people who are interested in a business: you need to sign a lease; you need a have a development permit; you need to have an extensive criminal background check; and this is all before you start the application process. These seem to be incredibly onerous and incredibly hard to get retail businesses off the ground. Does the Minister truly believe that this meets the goals of the standing committee's recommendations that privatization be an element of our cannabis regime? Thank you.
Masi. Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we want to be sure that those who are seriously interested are fully qualified candidates to be vendors of cannabis, so I believe it is a fair deal. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Quoting from the first part of the vendor designation section of the regulations, the Minister needs to be satisfied that "the operation of a cannabis store by the person would be economically viable."
The Minister is going to determine the market conditions before the market is allowed to determine those conditions. I don't know of any other business that is run this way or permitted this way. Can the Minister clarify what these regulations mean by economic viability of a potential applicant?
Much like with any business venture, the vendors would come forward with a business plan, and they would see whether there is a market for the product or not. Through the early work that we are doing, using the liquor store model, I think it would be a good determination of what type of market is out there.
One thing we don't want to see happen is those getting into the business thinking that it is a cash cow, when a lot of us know that it may not be. We just want to make sure that they know what they are getting into, and that it is a viable operation for them.
Earlier the Minister commented that the Liquor Commission has made $5,000 in the first hour of sales. It seems like a very viable operation. Again, why is the Minister putting a criterion that he needs to be the one to determine if the business is going to be successful before that business is allowed to exist?
Yes, the Member is correct. I did say that there was a good uptake at the beginning and made over $5,000 already, but it is now 14 hours into the legalization of cannabis. Maybe once the excitement wears off, the novelty wears off, or it is not the flavour of the day, there might be some changes, and it might get back to business as usual.
The Minister does make the final determination. I am not going to sit there and decide whether this business is viable; I would rely on the recommendations of those that would provide some technical and financial advice. I don't make the ultimate decision as to whether this business is going to go or not. I would listen to recommendations, like most good leaders do. I would listen to recommendations and make an informed decision based on that.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am certainly not questioning the Minister's judgement or the advice he receives from the quality staff in the public service. My question is: why are the regulations worded in a way that is putting -- I mean, the Minister is telling us now, Mr. Speaker, that he is not sure if this business is going to continue to boom or if it is going to go down. It doesn't sound like the Minister is aware of the economic viability of cannabis in the Northwest Territories. How are business owners or entrepreneurs who look at these regulations given comfort that the Minister is not going to say no because he is worried about them failing? Let the market decide. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
That is exactly what we are trying to do. Thank you.
I call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Testart.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that the chair rise and report progress. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Testart. There is a motion to report progress. The motion is in order and non-debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed?
---Carried
I will rise and report progress. Thank you, committee.
Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Bill 7, Chartered Professional Accountants Act; Minister's Statement 19-18(3), Aurora College Foundational Review Process; and Tabled Document 215-18(3), Capital Estimates, 2019-2020, and would like to report progress, and Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with.
Masi. Do we have a seconder? Member for Sahtu. The motion is in order. All those in favour? All those opposed?
---Carried
Orders of the day for Thursday, October 18, 2018, at 1:30 p.m.
Prayer
Ministers' Statements
Members' Statements
Returns to Oral Questions
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Acknowledgements
Oral Questions
Written Questions
Returns to Written Questions
Replies to the Commissioner's Opening Address
Petitions
Reports of Standing and Special Committees
Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills
Tabling of Documents
Notices of Motion
Notices of Motion for First Reading of Bills
Motions
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Motion 21-18(3), Extended Adjournment of the House to October 23, 2018
First Reading of Bills
Second Reading of Bills
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
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Bill 7, Chartered Professional Accountants Act
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Bill 8, Emergency Management Act
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Minister's Statement 19-18(3), Aurora College Foundational Review Process
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Tabled Document 215-18(3), Capital Estimate, 2019-2020
Report of Committee of the Whole
Third Reading of Bills
Orders of the Day
Masi, Mr. Clerk. This House stands adjourned until Thursday, October 18, 2018, at 1:30 p.m.
---ADJOURNMENT
The House adjourned at 3:19 p.m.
