Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, all revenues, whether it be from liquor, whether it be, since we are talking about the sin taxes, from tobacco, go back into the general fund and monies are allocated through the budgetary

process that is determined through this House to the departments who look after whether it is in health care, or whether it is in drug and alcohol centres. Thank you.

Oral questions. Oral questions. Mr. Henry.

The Minister of Safety and Public Services. Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would gladly answer this question. However, for the information of this House, the responsibility of the Liquor Licensing Board has been devolved to the Department of Finance. However, in response to the honourable Member, Mr. Williams' position, and any positions on the board, is at the pleasure of the Minister. With the advice from the Department of Safety and Public Services before Christmas, we looked at the different options that we had before us, so it was in the plans for sometime, and the decision was made in December, I believe. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Henry. Perhaps, you were not aware which Minister was responsible for the position, but if you wish to redirect your question to the appropriate Minister, you may do so.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Antoine has answered the first part. I would suggest that these decisions relate to his time, so he may be better able to answer the questions. If I may, the Minister mentioned that the appointments are at the pleasure of the Minister. Can Mr. Antoine tell me what that means? Does that mean just at a whim, you are here today, gone tomorrow? Would it be standard that, at pleasure, if you are not living up to the expectations of the position that you would be at pleasure and be removed accordingly. Could the Minister answer that for me, please?

The Member cannot direct a question to a former Minister that is no longer responsible for that department. So, I will redirect it to the Minister of Finance as a new question. The Minister of Finance. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wonder if my honourable colleague could repeat the question so I may be able to answer it in an appropriate manner. Thank you.

Mr. Henry.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Antoine made it very clear when he responded to my first question, that these appointments are at the pleasure of the Minister, and what I wish to know, if Mr. Todd could answer it for Mr. Antoine, what the definition of pleasure is? Does that mean that when I have just woken up one morning and feel a little funny I dispose of a person? Or does it mean if the person is fulfilling their responsibilities, they would probably continue on? What does at pleasure mean? Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Convention is in the House, or precedents have been established in most cases where we are appointing board members or chairpersons to boards of this government that we would seek MLA involvement as well as public interest groups, that we may ask, from time to time for appointments, Mr. Speaker. Based on that, these appointments are made or recommended by the appropriate Minister, and in some cases can be appointed directly by the Minister, in other cases, require Cabinet approval.

The process, historically, has been to seek both MLA and the public's interest in board appointments. There are occasions when it would go to Cabinet for approval and there are other occasions where it is the Minister's sole jurisdiction, and these appointments are made. My understanding is that, if my notes serve me correctly, the previous Minister did correspond with the MLAs with respect to seeking their advice as he sought others on appointments to the Liquor Board.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Henry.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Todd is accurate in his statement and may be of the understanding that the previous Minister did request solicitation of names who would be appropriate as appointments to the board. I, for one, did not get that request from the Minister. I do have a copy of a letter that was sent to me over a year ago, asking for nominations for boards members, but that is a year ago, and I believe, it is standard practice to have those sent out in a much more timely basis. The question I would have of Minister Todd is, did Mr. Antoine ask him for input for a new chairman of the Liquor Licensing Board?

Again, just to remind the Members that the Minister responsible for the Liquor Board is Mr. Todd. I would like the Members to direct their questions without making reference to what the previous Minister did. Mr. Todd.

I believe the Minister did send out letters to all MLAs seeking input to the board appointments. I do not recollect one way or the other, at this stage of the game because it was before Christmas whether or not there was a specific reference to the chairperson or not. I know that there was correspondence sent out to MLAs on the appointment of the board in general, but I cannot at this time recollect whether I was asked, or others were asked, about chairpersons. It is not uncommon for us to seek requests from everybody on board appointments, and within these new board appointments, appoint a chairperson. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Henry.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the chairman of the Liquor Licensing Board, the previous one has been dismissed from his position. As of yesterday, the individual, Mr. Williams has not received any notification, other than a telephone call, that he was no longer chairman of the board. I would like to ask the Minister responsible for the Liquor Licensing Board, Mr. Todd, if that is an acceptable standard to deal with residents of the Northwest Territories who offer their services to this government, in such areas as the Liquor Licensing Board? Thank you.

Mr. Todd.

Mr. Speaker, it is not an acceptable standard, and it is not one that we try to accomplish. I would suggest to my honourable colleague, that if there has been no correspondence between Mr. Williams and the ministry, than I apologize for that. If it was done, it was done in error, rather than any malice. I will look into the matter, and if such has happened, I will write a letter to Mr. Williams and apologize on behalf of the ministry. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Henry.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is difficult to ask this question without referring to what the previous Minister's has actions he has taken. But, if we call it the board, if that is acceptable to yourself, the complete board was replaced by the previous Minister. Mr. Speaker, I was told that it was a tough decision to do, so rather than make the tough decision, the entire board was replaced, now, including the chairman. Mr. Williams was not replaced to the new board. One of the old board members was replaced, and my question to the Minister is, why would this have taken place? Why would the chairman, if it was committed that the chairman was an excellent motivated hard working individual, why would another board member who was the old board, get re-appointed, but the chairman, who had still had time left, not get re-appointed? Thank you.