Mr. Chairman, I know that we're probably at the point where we're almost closing debate on this particular matter of the legislative action paper on rewriting liquor laws. Mr. Chairman, I would like to, before we conclude consideration of this item, thank the honourable Members for their comments and certainly for introducing the motions that they introduced over the past several days.
I can assure you, Mr. Chairman, and all Members, that their views along with the motions that were passed here in committee of the whole will be considered carefully as we proceed with the development of the new Liquor Act. This liquor law review... I must remind all Members that it was originally launched by my colleague, Mr. Todd, in December 1993, who was then the Minister of Safety and Public Services. Since then, Mr. Chairman, I am particularly happy, since I assumed the responsibility for the portfolio with the progress of the comprehensive review of the Liquor Act.
I have felt from the start that this review was timely and important. Our present Liquor Act, as several Members have pointed out, is now 25 years out of date and is in serious need of an overhaul. We need to ensure that the definitions, systems, institutions, standards, penalties, and offences are carefully developed to ensure that our regulatory system is effective.
To me, the key to our success in this Legislative initiative has always been found in the five principles that emerge from our public consultations. I can tell you, Mr. Chairman, that I am pleased that in one of the motions passed yesterday by our colleague, the Member for Thebacha, and supported by the House, that the House has now chosen to endorse these principles as the fundamental ideas that will guide the development of our legislation. In doing so, honourable Members have established the foundation for a liquor regulatory system that prioritizes the basic health and safety needs of people in the Northwest Territories; a foundation which recognizes that the wellness of our northern communities can be influenced by the way we, as a government, exercise regulatory authority over liquor.
This is an approach that jurisdictions all around the world are talking about following. We're not just talking about it, Mr. Chairman, we're doing it. With the feedback we have received from this House and with the benefits of grassroots ideas and recommendations that came forward during our public consultations, my officials will now be able to work closely with Mr. Kakfwi's department to create a new Liquor Act.
If all continues to go well, we anticipate developing a bill for introduction to the 13th Legislative Assembly as soon as possible, following the fall 1995 territorial election. The public will have an opportunity to comment on the bill at that time. As well, I want to inform the House that we will be following up on some of the other public recommendations outlined in the earlier legislative action paper, as well as on the comments made by the Standing Committee on Legislation during its recent review.
For instance, it became clear over the course of the liquor law review that we need to do more to promote responsible decision-making about liquor. We are entering into negotiations with some of the manufacturers to explore new public awareness strategies. The legislative action paper stresses that the ongoing evaluation of the impact of liquor is essential and we are now working with other areas of government to establish systems that will enable us to examine the health correlations and other outcomes of our liquor policy.
At public meetings and at standing committee hearings, we heard about the importance of strengthening our approach to enforcement and, as the honourable Member for Thebacha pointed out yesterday, we have now undertaken a review of our inspection program that will be completed concurrently with the development of the new Liquor Act. Both the Standing Committee on Legislation and, earlier, the Special Committee on Health and Social Services have made recommendations about the need to empower communities with local measures for controlling liquor. We are in the process of exploring legislative mechanisms and community transfer possibilities that will do just that.
Before closing, Mr. Chairman, I want to acknowledge the many people who participated in the public consultation process that led to the formulation of the department's legislative action paper. We've heard from people from all segments of northern society, people of all ages and from all regions. We heard from aboriginal organizations -- the Dene Nation, the Deh Cho Tribal Council, the Kitikmeot Regional Council and others -- and from groups like the Status of Women Council, the Registered Nurses' Association and more.
We have heard from the bar owners and people in the hospitality business, from RCMP detachments, from representatives of large liquor manufacturers who came up from the south, from the insurance industry and from university experts. We heard from individuals who have been active in working to address community concerns about alcohol, people like Buck Storr from Aklavik, Chief Gerry Paulette from Fort Smith, Madeline Qumuatuq from Iqaluit, Thelma Tees from Yellowknife, Woody Elias and Charlie Snowshoe of Fort McPherson, John Campbell and many, many more too numerous to mention.
But we also heard from northerners who don't usually get involved in this kind of exercise, folks who just had an idea or two about how liquor control can be improved in the Northwest Territories. These are the people who turned out at public meetings, sent in survey responses, or took the time to send us a letter or give us a phone call. I believe the entire liquor law review process has been strengthened enormously by their input.
Mr. Chairman, I would like to say that I'm enthusiastic about moving to the next stages of this process, and I would again like to thank my honourable colleagues for their comments, advice and their input over the past three days.
Mr. Chairman, it would be remiss of me to conclude these discussions by not acknowledging the work of the deputy minister and the staff of the Department of Safety and Public Services. And, more importantly, I want to acknowledge one individual who has accepted the responsibility for this review for approximately two years now, a man by the name of Alan Downe.
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I want to acknowledge, Mr. Chairman, through you and the chairman of the Standing Committee on Legislation, the work of the staff of this Assembly and the staff of the committee, especially those translators who have had to do a lot of work on our part. I want to thank you for the input and support you have given us. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
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