Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, while some presenters felt penalties should be increased further and minimum fines be introduced, others in Fort Smith and Fort Simpson suggested that by extending off-sale, premise and liquor store hours, bootlegging would become less attractive and lucrative. For example a Tsiigehtchic resident suggested mandatory jail time as a solution while a Fort Smith town councillor commented, “I think when it comes to bootlegging, what you want to do there is try to defer that activity from happening. ... But by restricting hours and restricting the amount of alcohol that's coming out of your licensed premises, what you're really doing is giving a bootlegger that much ammunition now.”
The band manager of the Tthedzeh K'edeli First Nation in Jean Marie River also pointed to what she considered inconsistencies in the proposed fine structures, “With regards to the penalty being $10,000 for supplying a minor, or up to $10,000, where we're trying to preach to our children and stop the cycles of alcohol abuse, drugs and all this. I think the penalty for supplying a minor should be higher than it is for supplying an adult...”
The committee agreed with the suggestion that selling liquor to minors is a more serious offence and should carry higher penalties. During the clause-by-clause review, the committee and Minister agreed to amendments to double the maximum fines for selling to minors by vendors and licensed premise owners.
The committee also passed a motion to amend the bill to double maximum fines for bootlegging that involves selling to a minor, to add minimum fines for bootlegging including higher minimum fines for bootlegging to minors and to provide that where a judge makes a probation order, the probation order must prohibit the possession and consumption of alcohol. The Minister did not concur with this motion.
Preventing minors from accessing liquor and protecting children and youth to provide them with a healthy start into their future were issues brought forward in all communities. For example, Mr. Eddie Chocolate, a Gameti councillor, expressed his fears and hopes, “As it is, this abuse takes away life from our youth. ... We should devote a lot of time and discussion on this. ... There is the sale of alcohol and drugs in the community and that's something that we all need to resolve together.”
While some presenters pleaded for an increase of the legal drinking age to 21, others believed that the legal drinking age should be lowered to 18 or remain as is, arguing it would teach young people more responsible behaviour at an earlier age. The committee also discussed the question with the Minister and agrees with the government's decision to keep the legal age at 19 as the most appropriate at this time.
In Yellowknife, Ms. Sylvia Siemens suggested that the mandate of the enforcement officers would need to include compliance monitoring of liquor stores. The Department of Finance currently relies on its contracts with vendors to ensure compliance. This has proved insufficient to avoid liquor sales to minors. As Ms. Siemens pointed out during her presentation, “We cannot expect a business that profits from the sale of alcohol to be self-regulating. The Tobacco Act recognizes that. ... to allow for inspectors to send in a young looking 17-year-old to purchase cigarettes. If they were not asked for identification, they had the teeth in the legislation to issue a fine. ... We cannot purport to say this legislation protects youth until we address the issue that there is no legislation in place for independent monitoring and inspections of liquor store practices.”
Mr. Chair, I will pass this report on to the Member for Sahtu, Mr. Norman Yakeleya.