Mr. Speaker, I have a return to a question, asked by Mrs. Marie-Jewell on March 12, related to policy for lottery licences.
Lottery licences are not issued to native bands or Metis locals. Lottery licences may be issued to recreation or cultural committees set up by these organizations. When initial applications for licences are received from such recreational or cultural committees, information on the membership of the committee is provided by the applicant and must not be restricted to a particular group of people.
The Elks and Legion service clubs are open for membership to the general public.
To be considered charitable under the NWT Lotteries Act, organizations must be run substantially by volunteer efforts for the benefit of others and not for self-help purposes or personal benefit for members. Such organizations must provide a benefit to a significant portion of the community and must be open for membership to all members of the general public.
The application from the Fort Smith Warriors hockey team for a licence to raise funds to host an all-native hockey tournament was denied on the same grounds as an application from the Fire Fighters curling association to host a national fire fighters curling bonspiel. In both cases, membership of these groups were restricted and the use of the proceeds of the lottery events was considered to be of a self-help nature.