Mr. Chair, this is in regards to some numbered questions here. Projected in the main estimates are liquor sales of $48.5 million, cost of goods sold, $16.9 million and last year we had $47.5 million in sales and cost of goods sold as $17 million, so what the numbers here are saying is that we are buying cheaper products or something there. We like to drink $1 million worth, so somehow we must be buying bulk sales but we are consuming the same product for almost $1 million less. Can I get an explanation on that?

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. For that, we will go to Mr. Kalgutkar.

Mr. Chair, that is a good explanation for that. Liquor Commission agency expenses are up by $1 million over the last couple of years, maybe could we get an explanation for that?

Mr. Chairman, that’s fine. Thank you.

Thank you. Committee, we are on 5-36. Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So we know the fact that we are making not bad money off our sales of buying liquor and the costs, and maybe stabilizing the costs here in the North. I guess my question is to the Minister. The main estimates are for the $25.372 million profit. I heard it before that the money goes into general revenues and they give it up. I know we passed a motion one time at least, to put a symbolic gesture to put at least a percentage to direct program services into alcohol prevention promotion programs in our communities. I am not too sure; the response wasn’t favourable from the Minister. Just a symbolic gesture because I know we put the $25 million we make off of selling booze to the people of the Northwest Territories, then as a direct symbolic gesture saying that it is important to us to save lives and we want to do this, even 1 percent of this money. I was looking at 10 percent, and so I still think that is the way to go in saying yes, this money can go directly into alcohol and drug prevention programs in our communities.

Also, I would like to get a breakdown of what the sales are like in Norman Wells liquor store. We make a profit. On a business deal, this is a good deal. I don’t know what the bootleggers make, but this is a good deal here for us as a legitimate government business. Making profits and the money goes into general revenue, and I understand, Mr. Miltenberger, last time you told me about all that goes into programs, but this is now directly hitting the pocketbooks. Bring it back into our communities on a percentage. That is what I would like to look at in this Liquor Revolving Fund.

We heard a lot of comments from the Sahtu communities on Bill 24. A lot of good, strong recommendations from the Members, which we know the $48 million that caused a lot of headaches in the North and what the sales are going to the Sahtu, but it has caused a lot of headaches and we would certainly like to combat that as much as we can. The operations of our liquor store have been questioned too. Some of our Members here, and for me, I just want to say this stuff is taken by some people which they can handle pretty good. A lot of our people you see in the reports, the crime reports, RCMP reports, are pretty high. They are unable yet to handle it and it causes a lot of headaches for us as a government.

So, I guess my last question before I leave this page, has there ever been a study about what alcohol costs our business and our community? We do that with tobacco, we do that with cancer, we do that with diabetes, but has there been any type of study within this government to say this is what it costs the community or a business, missing work, getting sick, everything, showing that. I know they did that in the Alberta government, and it cost the government, if you look at some of the factors in the trillions of dollars. Have we ever done anything like that in the Northwest Territories, to really see the

devastating impact on the socio-economic and health level of understanding the real cost of all of this?

You know, we need to take a break, so I’m not interested in opening the bars and liquor stores on Sunday. Enough is enough. Modernize or not, we have to put our foot down to say this stuff is costing us dearly in our communities, so I hope the Minister doesn’t come and have the discussion with us in committee on looking at bars on Sunday. Let’s have a day of rest, okay? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Minister Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I believe the Department of Health and Social Services can put out some broad numbers that show and point to the societal impacts of alcohol abuse right from babies being born with FASD right up to all the costs of work and jail, shelters being full and that type of thing. The issue of the money, this $25 million goes into general revenue, so we have general revenue of over $1.6 billion, $1.8 billion. Out of that, including this, we take now with the supplementary appropriations that are being considered, Health will get over $400 million of that, so it all gets mixed together, but in my mind, it’s clear that every cent of this goes into general revenue but we take $400 million, so we put in $25 million and we take out $400 million to go to Health and Social Services. Out of that $400 million, there are considerable millions that are spent on alcohol and drug related issues, in fact there is more money in the budget this year, as well, to improve those. We make the case. To me it is clear, we make $25 million and we spend 10 times that, actually we spend 20 times that roughly. So, I think we are talking about optics here because there is this money and as a government we choose to spend $400 million.

I will ask Mr. Koe to talk, you asked about the Norman Wells consumption. Sorry, Mr. Kalgutkar can do that.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Kalgutkar.

Thank you, Mr. Kalgutkar. Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The whistle is getting dry there. That is a lot of booze in our communities and regions. Again, I understand the Minister, and I believe we are talking optics on the profits, I understand what he is saying. He is

saying it for symbolic. For us in the Sahtu, we can put aside a percentage, even 1 percent or even a half percent, symbolically that this money from the Sahtu sales go directly to our small communities – Colville Lake, Good Hope, Tulita, Norman Wells and Deline – and we are going to do something directly to work with alcohol abuse and prevention promotion. It is not much, and I understand that we appreciate the money that is going to help, but not all of it is going into prevention. There are doctors and everything else that needs to be looked after. That’s what I am talking about. If we can do that then we know, that’s what the chiefs are saying, this is the chiefs, not me, who brought this up in the Sahtu. We’ve got to show something. Right now, the optics don’t look too good. That’s what I’m saying.

I’ll leave it at that. Those are all my questions for this page.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the Member’s concern. We could say in this budget that the $900,000 that is going to on-the-land programs have come out of this money. It’s all in general revenue. I appreciate the Member’s concern. I have no further comment, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Committee, we’re on page 5-36, information item, Liquor Revolving Fund. Any questions? Mr. Yakeleya.

I do hear the Minister about the $900,000 going into on-the-land programs for communities. There is something symbolic in taking a percentage out of the sale and directing that into communities for school programs, wellness programs, literacy programs or some kind of program in the community. That’s what I’m saying. He’s right, he’s saying the $900,000 going into the on-the-land programs. That’s no different from us changing from Nats'ejee K'eh. It’s still going to Nats'ejee K'eh. We’ve just shifted the will of the House here. I’m still not getting what I want.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Minister Miltenberger.

Mr. Chairman, we could have the discussion about committing to dedicating this money, these profits will go into Health and Social Services budget. Out of that 25, X amount of it will go to whatever programs you can cover off. We can say we will coffer this money and it will go directly into those budgets in its entirety. Not a fraction, but we will put it into that area as a sign that we want this specifically streamed that way.

It’s something for the Member to consider. Thank you.

I think we’re moving somewhere. I would have to think about this. I can’t think very well on an empty stomach. I will think about this and we can come back for a discussion. I appreciate what the Minister is saying. We’re moving somewhere. I’m glad the government is thinking this way. I’m happy we can go this way for our discussion. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. We’ll take that as a final comment. We’re on page 5-26, information item, Liquor Revolving Fund. Any questions?

Thank you, committee. Page 5-37, information item, Liquor Revolving Fund, active positions. Any questions?