Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The responsibility for issuing licences and permits for special occasions is clearly within the authority of the liquor board. My responsibility is to appoint the board. I cannot interfere in their responsibilities as long as they perform their duties within the act.

With regard to why not more special occasions or more flexibility in there, I have not yet had a chance to write to the board, but I have spoken to the board chairman on this issue and certainly intend to follow it up further, and would suggest to the board that they review the situation and maybe have more flexibility in their policy for their staff to follow. Thank you.