Thank you. On page 3-10, active positions, this is an information item. Agreed? Mr. Krutko.
Debates of Feb. 4th, 1998
Topics
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 564
The Chair John Ningark
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In relation to the positions in the Department of Finance, regarding the affirmative action policy that is in place, has there been an increase in regard to the aboriginal numbers within this department?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 564
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Minister, if you want to designate a response to one of your officials, that is up to you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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John Todd Keewatin Central
Thank you. Mr. Chairman, our total operational percentage versus the total staff is 19 percent. I do not know if that is an increase from the year before. I believe I said in the House earlier that we have to table in the House our affirmative action stats. At that time I will ensure that there is some comparison from last year and this current year. Thank you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 565
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Active positions, information item, page 3-11, Liquor Commission Revolving Fund, an information item. Mr. Steen.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Vince Steen Nunakput
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I believe Mr. Krutko mentioned this before to some degree. The tax applicable to liquor and an overall expense or a revenue to the government through the Liquor Commission Revolving Fund, is that going to be at some point where people will have an option to have another look at the liquor laws?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 565
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Minister.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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John Todd Keewatin Central
There was extensive work actually done by, I believe the researcher of the day was Alan Downe, I think. Extensive work was done, I think last year and the year even before, with significant community consultations on the changes to the Liquor Act and the legislation. Again, as I think I said to my colleague earlier this week on the Workers' Compensation Board, there is such a limited amount left in terms of what legislation we can bring forward and get it through. If my memory serves me correctly, Mr. Downe was working closely with Mr. Kakfwi on the need for some changes in regulatory reform. He may try to incorporate some of the changes that we want and the liquor regulations. Now I stand to be corrected on that, but he may. I know there was extensive work done on the need for some change in the Liquor Act, et cetera. Thank you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 565
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. On the Liquor Commission Revolving Fund, Mr. Steen.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 565
Vince Steen Nunakput
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I would like to be specific. There have been suggestions that a lot of the problems related to liquor in the communities could be offset, to some degree, if communities were allowed to have outlets whereby they could apply a tax over and above what the government charges. That money would be used to offset problems with liquor by being able to create other activities or build infrastructure that would allow people to have other activities rather than just sit at home and drink. A lot of people thought this was quite a good proposal to allow hamlets or whatever, to have the ability to tax liquor over and above what the government charges. That was what specifically I was referring to. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 565
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you, Mr. Steen. Mr. Minister.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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John Todd Keewatin Central
I confess, I do not have the details of the some of the changes that Mr. Downe was suggesting after community consultations on the Liquor Act. I will speak with him tomorrow and get an update on that and provide my colleague with where that stands. Unfortunately, I apologize, I do not have that answer today. Thank you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 565
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Liquor Commission Revolving Fund, information Item. Agreed? Thank you. Mr. Krutko.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 565
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In regard to the monies that are being spent in relation to the commission itself, somewhere in the range of $2.77 million basically to run the commission, those costs are borne through the sale of the alcohol itself. Is there a possible way of allowing a small percentage of that to be given to a non-profit society or organization which works in the area of the alcohol and drug abuse field? There was a big debate in Inuvik because of the plans to expand the liquor store, but at the same time shutting down the alcohol treatment centre, Delta House because there was no money for that. I would like to know if there is a possibility of looking at that in regard to identifying the percentage of the overall profits which presently is being consumed by the Liquor Commission itself?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 565
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Are we looking at the expenditures here, Mr. Todd?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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John Todd Keewatin Central
The short answer, Mr. Chairman, is no. We cannot do that. I think there is a relationship between consumption of alcohol and the problems associated with it. Everybody understands that. The revenues generated through the sales of alcohol, like the sale of cigarettes and like the other taxes, all go into general revenues. I cannot see where you could specifically take it from here to put over there. It has to go back into the system. The system then determines what the overall budget of the government is. The Ministers, the Finance Minister, Cabinet and FMB decide, in consultation with committees, how the money is going to be distributed to the envelopes, et cetera. Everybody has to, as they say in the world of politics, duke it out to get their share based on whatever philosophy that is there. While I can appreciate where my colleague is going with this line of questioning, the answer to him, unfortunately, would be no.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 565
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Krutko.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 565
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In light of division looming around the corner in a little over a year, is there a possibility to look at this in the context of there being two Liquor Commissions? One for the east and one for the west and remapping the way funds presently exist, in regard to the way it is being distributed through the Liquor Licensing Board or basically taking a serious look at identifying exactly how these funds would be allocated in both territories after division?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 565
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Minister.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 565
John Todd Keewatin Central
The intent, of course, is to have two Liquor Commissions. The revenues that we generate would be based upon the consumption in each of the territories. It is not a question of taking these revenues and saying we are going to split them here and there. If you have two separate
entities and you have X consumption and there is X revenues generated from it, that government would get those X revenues. The new Finance Minister of these two territories would assign that as part of the revenues when they look at their overall fiscal requirements, and where they are going to find the monies besides the grant from the federal government. Thank you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 566
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Page 3-11, information item. Agreed? No? Mr. Rabesca.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 566
James Rabesca North Slave
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would just like to go back to the active positions. I am quite concerned, what might happen when Nunavut comes to be and the number might change in the future?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 566
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Do we agree that we go back to page 3-10, active positions for the honourable Member? Agreed? I do not hear any agreement. Do we agree?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 566
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 566
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Todd.