Debates of May 26, 2004 (day 13)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question this afternoon is a follow-up to my statement and it is directed to the Minister of Finance concerning the upcoming review of the Liquor Act. I wonder if the Minister could give us an outline of the process that the government is planning on undertaking in its review and rewrite of the Liquor Act. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Finance, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 136-15(3): Liquor Act Review

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, some work has been done by a company that was contracted by the Department of Finance to begin the process of looking at what can be undertaken in a review. We have yet to make a decision if it will be a full-blown review or if we would look at segments of it, but we are still in that process. We should be making a decision soon as to what degree we will go. If we, for example, put a panel together to look at all the issues and make recommendations on what avenue we should take, or if we would just use our normal process of getting some input and then going forward with developing legislative proposals, we haven't got to that point yet. Potentially if it is a full-blown review, it would be quite a lengthy process as well as quite an expensive process. What we're trying to ensure we do is that we have the Liquor Act process review done and new legislation brought in in the life of this assembly. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 136-15(3): Liquor Act Review

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Those sound like very constructive steps, Mr. Speaker, and I won't press the government on which one or how to go yet. I will be quite happy to leave it for some time, and come back with a thorough recommendation. But I would like to pursue, Mr. Speaker, one aspect of this that I believe deserves some attention and should be considered right out front, and that is the approach of saying that we should have two acts; one to administer the liquor on a business basis, and the mandate of the government's social responsibility. I'm wondering if Mr. Roland would advise us as to whether this approach to creating two acts to manage liquor would be a viable approach that we could consider. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Finance, Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 136-15(3): Liquor Act Review

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I stated earlier, the work that has been done hasn't given us enough information right now if we should, in fact, look at splitting the act and look at one, for example, truly on the business side of the liquor equation, or if it continued along the same lines with some strengthening of areas and updating of the old legislation that is there today. We are in that process. The first phase, in a sense, has been done with the contract that was let and a report that is coming forward. It is actually in draft stage now, I believe, in the final stages. From a departmental point of view, we need to decide if we in fact do the full-blown process as well as take work that has been done in the past, because there was a substantial amount of work done in 1994 that we would like to look at and see how that can be incorporated in there. We expect it would be a controversial piece of legislation. There will be people on both sides of it that would affect how we look at this and to what degree we proceed with it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 136-15(3): Liquor Act Review

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This too is something that I hope the whole idea of going and looking at two different acts takes some time. But I would put to the Minister to consider that I think we already have a very strong precedent for that in our government, and this is in the area of tobacco legislation. I think it is the Department of Finance that looks after taxation and administration of cigarettes, but, yet, the Department of Health has demonstrated, I think with extraordinary vigour and good results, that we are making headway on the reduction of tobacco and its impact on society. I venture that the same can and should apply to alcohol. So I would like to ask him if that scenario, or that precedent that already exists in our government, is one that he would look at. Thank you.

Minister of Finance, Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 136-15(3): Liquor Act Review

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm not sure if that would require two acts to do what is being done presently through the example used of Health and Social Services. We do have, through Health and Social Services, a drug and alcohol program. On the finance side, the sales side and the taxes received through the sale of tobacco comes through the Department of Finance. There could be work, and I think the Member may be heading to this; the fact that we do have some issues that have caused us some concern and we recognize that. It's in the jurisdiction that the Liquor Board does have in the existing act. There can be separation in that. That is one of the things that we're looking at, to ensure that the legislative side, the enforcement side, is very clear and concise as to how that part of the business operates. The addictions side and drug and alcohol awareness side is something we need to continue pursuing as a government overall, and how we deal with the addictions side. I'm not sure that would require two pieces of legislation to be developed though. Thank you.

Final supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 136-15(3): Liquor Act Review

Mr. Speaker, I'm looking forward to a process whereby the public can get involved with this, whether it's a panel or a committee process. But we all know that the degree of input, the quality and the calibre of the input will certainly improve when people get access to some resources. So I'd like to ask the Minister would the non-government organizations, or frontline service agencies, be factored into this and be able to access funding or other assistance to help in their involvement in a review of the Liquor Act? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Minister of Finance.

Further Return To Question 136-15(3): Liquor Act Review

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, again in how we would go about dealing with the Liquor Act review process, we would have to look at how we got that input; if it was in fact allowing for funding to go out to agencies to come and make presentations or, in fact, if we do a process where we go out and get their input. So we have to look at it. Cost is one area of concern that we have to look at for this whole process, but at the end of the day we want to ensure we have a Liquor Act that is up to date, that works for both sides of the equation in the sense of managing the sales and taxation area, as well as making sure, overall as government, we continue to work on the prevention side and dealing with the effects of alcohol. So again, I think this is two processes. One is to ensure we have an up-to-date Liquor Act that is functional and can be used in the Territories to provide clear direction for all those involved in the sale of liquor products. Thank you.