Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I wonder if I could take a few minutes to comment on the liquor inspection situation in Iqaluit. Right now, as I understand it, an arrangement has been made with an individual in Iqaluit who has a reputation of having the ability to do a good job and being well-respected in the community. I am pleased that arrangement has been made since the town of Iqaluit asked to be relieved of the responsibility for doing liquor inspections. I would just like to suggest, since the present arrangement is expiring in March, that it could be improved upon. Although the millions of dollars of revenues that come out of liquor sales in Iqaluit probably could cover the cost of a full-time inspector, I am now not convinced that there is a justification for a full-time liquor inspector in that community, but I think what the department has come up with is inadequate. I would like to explain why.

As I understand it, the present part-time inspector has been given the sum of $1,000 to do his work inspecting licensed premises for a six month period from November 1993 to March 1994. At $20 an inspection, that works out to about 50 inspections or about ten a month. Since there are ten licensed premises in town, that works out to about one inspection a month if each premise is regularly inspected. I think that this is restrictive and is inappropriate. As it is now, I am told the people who run these licensed premises know that once an inspection has taken place, they are not going to see the inspector for another month or so. I would like to have a little more flexibility and action in the licensed premises in Iqaluit, and I know the Minister is aware that this is a very sensitive issue in Iqaluit. There was a stabbing last fall in front of one of the premises, and there are a number of good citizens who are very worried about this. So what I would like to see is the amount of inspections increased, and I would also like to see the inspector given some flexibility, so that, if people are saying a particular premises is out of control or is not acting responsibly, the inspector will have the flexibility to be able to go in there nightly for three, four or five days running to keep the premises on their toes.

I would also like to comment on special occasion licenses. There is a fair degree of concern about this in Iqaluit. There are quite a number of special occasion permits sought. I believe the fee is small compared to what you could charge, and I think that when one considers the cost of purchasing liquor, in Iqaluit anyway, people who are applying for these special occasion permits, whether they are charged fifty dollars or ten dollars, might not see much difference when one looks at the cost of the liquor. So I would like to suggest to the Minister that the fee could be increased. I think it is quite modest right now. I think this would ensure people take their responsibilities more seriously and don't apply for these things lightly.

Secondly, I would also like to suggest that rather than having the permit issued from the liquor warehouse where all they get is a sheet spelling out the rules that have to be followed, like you have to serve food and all those kinds of things -- and only once, at that -- I would like to see the liquor inspector giving out those permits. I believe he would then be able to explain the rules to each person who gets a permit, and also, they would know that the permit is being given by the person who is responsible for inspecting and the person who could blow the whistle if a special occasion permit is not handled properly.

So I guess I have a couple of suggestions here, Mr. Chairman: more inspections; more flexibility in inspections; increase the special occasion permit; and, have the liquor inspector issue that special occasion permit rather than a clerk at the liquor warehouse. I think, if those things were done, we would have an adequate liquor inspection system in Iqaluit without necessarily having to go to the expense of a full-time liquor inspector. So those are comments, Mr. Chairman, I am sure the Minister will take into account. If he wishes to respond, fine, but, otherwise, I am sure he will look into it and consider that advice. Thank you.