Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in the House today to speak about allocating Liquor Commission revenues to treatment programs.
---Applause
Each year, the GNWT earns a net profit of approximately $20 million through the NWT Liquor Commission. Each year, this profit is used and drafted into the general revenue funds.
Mr. Speaker, it is a reality that many social problems in the NWT are a result of alcohol abuse. The GNWT profits from the sales of this substance. I am not suggesting that the GNWT not see a profit of the sale, or the control, of alcohol. If the GNWT did not, then someone else would be receiving a profit. But God forbid, if we ever subsidized it in a failing program.
What I object to, Mr. Speaker, are that profits from the sale of alcohol are not directly funding any programs to the solutions of these social problems that it creates. That is the issue I have.
Currently, our economy is booming, as we all know, and it stands to continue with this trend. As we all know, this leads to more money in people's pockets, and for residents sometimes translates this into increased social problems. That is a difficult and an undesirable problem in a strong economy.
The NWT, in particular, is in a difficult situation. As we all know, our financial arrangement with Ottawa is such that, even while our economy is booming, this doesn't mean we have easy access to funding for programs to help mitigate the social impacts.
Mr. Speaker, it is time for a creative solution. What I propose is that at least a portion of the net profits from the Liquor Commission revenues be earmarked specifically for treatment programs. Out of the $20 million of profit, I am sure we can find a reasonable percentage to help,
over and above annual money going to treatment programs. That is not an unreasonable suggestion, nor an unreasonable mandate, to taking care of our people. The impact of such a move may be unclear at this time because no one really knows how this would spin out, but it certainly would show that we are doing something. We would actually finally be linking the cause of this problem to solving some of the effects it draws out. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Finance Minister will have my lucky questions of the day. Thank you.
---Applause