Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to return to item 7 on the orders of the day. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I appreciate the Minister is aware of this and wants to help. But she can help by changing these rates. Another way she can help is by allowing manufacturers, liquor manufacturers of beer, brewing manufacturers, to be able to handle alcohol products that are brewed outside of jurisdictions that are in their stock. Right now that all has to go through the commission. Is she willing to make changes to the regulations that will allow companies like the NWT Brewing Company to -- license to handle alcohol to reduce the red tape and allow them more control over their...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I said in my Member's statement, the brewing industry in Canada accounts for 60 percent of the industrial brewing workforce. It's a really important local driver. Every province that supported their industry is seeing phenomenal growth and return on investments in these projects. Yet, in the Northwest Territories, we tax beer brewed 67 cents per litre versus Alberta, which only taxes 10 cents a litre. And this is the closest jurisdiction for comparison. It's attracting our brewing companies' interest because it's so much cheaper to do business. If they...

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, May 27th, 2024, I will move the following motion:

Now therefore I move, seconded by the Member for Frame Lake, that Tabled Document 67-20(1): Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories 2023 to 2027, be referred to Committee of the Whole for consideration. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So I've met with my honourable friend, the Minister of Finance. I've met with the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, spoke with the Minister of health. How many more meetings do I have to have until we can get some clarity on where we're going with this? Just wondering if the Minister can advise. Is it one? Two? Three? When are we going to get some commitment to act on these problems instead of just appreciate that they're problems? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's not working for this -- for the NWT Brewing Company. And it's not working for anyone else who'd want to jump into this industry. The brewing company has said it's too onerous, we'd never do it again. So it's time to make it easier. Alberta has different categories, different tiers. Would the Minister add more tiers to our production -- to the production markup so we could situate the NWT Brewing Company in a lower tier and still provide higher taxes to companies, bigger companies, that are producing more alcohol? Again, give them a break. We're not...

Mr. Speaker, the future of beer brewing belongs to craft breweries. Over the last ten years, Canada has witnessed a craft brewery boom as hundreds of these small businesses have sprung up across the country. Demand for a unique, locally sourced, craft beer grows exponentially year after year and, as a result, craft breweries have become a vital aspect of any city's economy.

In Alberta, craft brewers actually employ more people than the oil and gas industry. Thanks to the great talent of these brewers, the ability of these locally produced beverages to compete with the products of big namebrands...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Certainly that's not my intent. I think the Minister needs to work with treaty partners to ensure there's realistic and clear policy. So what I am saying is when an applicant applies, can they get a response, whatever that response happens to be, within 90 days? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I said in my Member's statement, I have constituents who have been waiting years for any kind of clarity on recreational land leasing. So I'd like to ask the Minister responsible for Environment and Climate Change, can the Minister commit to a consistent and transparent land leasing process? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll join the chorus of my colleagues recognizing former MLA, good friend, Kevin O’Reilly. You think retirement would keep him away but once it gets in the blood, politics will never leave. So thank you for being here, Kevin. Appreciate your interest.