The Minister outlined a pretty clear path as to what transpired between now and what’s happening right now today. I thank the Minister for that. Norman Wells last year made $2.5 million in liquor sales. Inuvik made $7.4 million. I expect to see Norman Wells reach up to $5 million this year. Hopefully, by the fall time we will have some type of decision as to how we go about looking at this issue here and help people in the surrounding communities.

I have a motion from the communities in the Sahtu to say we need to make changes to the Norman Wells liquor store. I want to ask the Minister if that’s something we could look forward to sometime maybe in the fall, to make some changes if it could be.

Mr. Speaker, we have to keep in mind, as well, we don’t want to give people the impression that the people of the Sahtu are now turning into consumers of alcohol way above what is normal there. The Sahtu, as well, has the benefit, and will continue to have the benefit, of an economic boom with the tight oil play that is going on there and the amount of people coming there. It all contributes to more activity, money and people in the region that don’t currently necessarily reside there.

We’ll look at the information that comes back from the letters. The Member and I will have a discussion and we’ll look at those questions and the information provided, and we will have to, as well, have a broader discussion. We’re going to consult with the NWTAC, as well, about designing what we would do based on the information we’re going to get back from the leaders. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, when the agencies in our communities are telling me and us that enough is enough, we are getting tired of seeing the incidents, I want to ask the Minister, with the amount of development that possibly could happen in the Sahtu, part of our region is out-of-control drinking. That’s what’s happening right now, so we want to work on this issue here. Would the Minister work with his colleagues, departments of Justice, Health, Education, Housing, Economic, even the Premier, to see what are the impacts now you are seeing in the Sahtu? Go to our court dates here in the Sahtu and you will see 99.9 percent of people up there because of alcohol. Will the Minister be able to compile some of those incidents, some of those reports that say, yes, we have an issue here in the Sahtu and we need to look at it in a responsible manner?

Mr. Speaker, we are tracking those statistics. The easiest course of action, of course, would be if the community of Norman Wells agreed to put this issue back to the vote. Because of the concern they have heard from all of their companions and all the neighbours in the Sahtu in the neighbouring communities, the existing legislation is clear right now. We will do the work we need to do to chart a path forward. If it requires legislative change or regulatory change, we will have to make that determination.

Clearly, the community of Norman Wells has the legal authority now to put that issue back on the table if they would say they do that, based on the strong feedback they received from the region leadership. In the meantime, we will continue down the path the Member and I have charted out. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister. Through this whole issue here, I think

we worked out a pretty good path as to how we want to resolve this issue. Between now and when we have some of the discussions, can the Minister ask his colleagues to look at some of their own numbers in regard to if the health centre is getting more calls than ever because of out-of-control drinking in our communities, or the justice is seeing more people in courts or jail because of out-of-control drinking? I want to know if the Minister can provide some of that information when we have our next meeting.

Mr. Speaker, I have heard the Member’s concern. Finance and the liquor folks are tracking their sales or consumption, the off-sales to individuals. We’ll check with the RCMP. We’ll make sure that we track their detailing and their statistics of all the potential charges or charges that they do lay. We will also be looking at the court dockets, things we are currently doing, as well, to make sure that we are as thorough as possible trying to track this issue.

I will remind the Member, once again, he and I have had this discussion. The issue of liquor store hours is only one part of the alcohol abuse issue. The circumstances are there where people have to be able to make the choice not to drink. While this issue has some importance to people, they shouldn’t be seen as a panacea that is somehow going to cure all the issues that we all struggle with with alcohol abuse. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 8, written questions. Item 9, returns to written questions. Item 10, replies to opening address. Item 11, petitions. Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a petition from Fort Good Hope opposing the GNWT charging rent to seniors in public senior housing; 106 signatures.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Item 12, reports of standing and special committees. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 14, tabling of documents. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, entitled “GNWT Response to Motion 5-17(2), Anti-Bullying Measures.” Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following two documents, entitled “Taking a Kid Trapping and Harvesting Report 2010-2011” and “Growing Forward Canada/Northwest Territories, Growing Forward Agreement – Small Scale Foods Program Community Garden Initiative, 2011 Annual Report.” Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, entitled “List of Interactivity Transfers Exceeding $250,000 for the Period April 1, 2011, to March 31, 2012.”

As well, I wish to table the following document, entitled “Northern Land Use Guidelines – Northwest Territories Seismic Operations.” Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 15, notices of motion. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Friday, June 15, 2012, I will move that Bill 10, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 7, 2010-2011, be read for the first time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that, on Friday, June 15, 2012, I will move that Bill 11, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 4, 2010-2011, be read for the first time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 17, motions. Item 18, first reading of bills. Mr. Miltenberger.

Bill 6, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2012-2013, has had first reading.

---Carried

Mr. Abernethy.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Judicature Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Judicature Act, has had first reading.

---Carried

Mr. Abernethy.