Page 3-27, activity summary, Bureau of Statistics. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have a committee motion. I move that this committee recommends that the Department of Finance focus on the communication elements of the 2006 census so that NWT residents are made aware that the 2006 census is vitally important to the NWT and its residents. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. To the motion. Ms. Lee.

Thank you. Just to shed some light on this issue and why the committee members felt that it was important to make this motion, is that during the discussions we were informed that in some communities people do not know why people knock on the door and they're asking who lives in your house and who you are and such. This is private information and strangers' questions that might be construed in the wrong way and we have to be sensitive to community concerns, and the people in our communities who are not always trusting of outsiders coming in to ask questions about private information. We felt that it was really important that the government expend some energy and some money to inform the public. Maybe we could do a public campaign about what they are when the time comes that has a GNWT logo on it rather than a census logo, which is not as familiar to our people. Considering that our funding mechanisms depend so heavily on the results of census, I think that there is a gap there that this government can do better to the benefit of this government and our financial picture. That's just the background of this recommendation.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The motion has been distributed. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question has been called. All those in favour of the motion? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

---Applause

Page 3-27, activity summary, Bureau of Statistics, operations expenditure summary, $941,000.

Bureau of Statistics, active positions, pages 3-28 and 3-29.

Page 3-30, information item, work performed on behalf of others, $3,000.

Page 3-31, information item, liquor revolving fund. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Recently, I was thinking about our revolving fund and how it is handled in Alberta. They actually set up an AADAC commission to actually address...I believe that their funds come out of liquor, gambling and those types of revenues. I was just wondering if it was time for our government to start looking at setting up a commission to address our alcohol needs that are out there. The question was, who pays for the advertising for the 1-800 numbers for people with addictions and treatment needs? I think it is time for our government to start looking at that particular area, Madam Chair. If I can get the Minister to comment with respect to that, I would be very happy.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, as we mentioned earlier in the year on educational awareness on some of the activities, the Liquor Licensing Board is where this would fall under now. The Liquor Commission doesn't have a very big education role in a sense of what happens. It is something we could look at and look at how some of these things should flow. As we go forward, should we be as a government overall, or should it be within the Liquor Commission and start reviewing that as to how do we further educate or provide information out there? But the roles right now are very limited in what we can do and in the responsibilities that fall in this area. Again, it is something we continue to work with in the Department of Health and Social Services. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I think "being limited" you are being too generous; non-existent, Mr. Minister, especially in terms of the goals and objectives of the liquor board and the commission. I would say that these boards and commissions should take a more active role in consolidating our alcohol and drug addictions needs as we go forward here in the future. I would like to get a commitment from the Minister that he will continue to look at this and see how we can better organize our government to address the needs that are coming up in the long term, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess the big thing we have to do and commit to is working with our partners, in a sense, the Department of Health and Social Services. Right now, they have the mandate for the health side of it, with the addiction side, addictions programming, and work with them and how we may enhance that communication going forward. We are prepared to sit down as a government to look at this and deal with that. There are a number of examples right now where Health and Social Services has been at the forefront when it comes to addictions awareness, the impacts of drinking while pregnant, fetal alcohol syndrome and effects, those programs. So we, as a government overall, need to start looking at how we get that information out and provide sort of the educational side of it from our government. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Anything further, Mr. Menicoche? Mr. Menicoche.

I am satisfied with the answer, Madam Chair.

---Laughter

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche.