Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, recent news reports outlined some of the details of the NWT Liquor Licensing Board's decision preventing the NWT Brewing Company from selling its product directly to other licensed establishments. I have said it before and I will say it again, the board's decision directly contravenes the mandate goals of this Assembly. Support for small business, tourism, job creation, diversification, economic development, manufacturing, it all goes down the tube with this decision.
Mr. Speaker, the success of the NWT Brewing Company is a sure indicator that there is a big demand for its products. In just two short years, the company has enjoyed reasonable commercial success, creating jobs and contributing to the government's coffers. The demand for such a product does not only exist here. In the Yukon, a microbrewery that opened up in early 2015 has had to increase its output three times in 2 1/2 years. Originally built to produce 300 litres a week, it has recently expanded to produce ten times that amount. Mr. Speaker, this is what we need to support, growth. Demand for NWT Brewing's product is high. The business has created jobs and has contributed significant dollars to the Territorial Treasury through the manufacturing taxes it pays.
The Stevens's were appreciative earlier this year, and I commend the Minister of Finance for authorizing the reduction in the manufacturing tax that the company pays. That said, while the Liquor Board was encouraged to permit direct sales to other licensed establishments and is authorized to make that decision, it declined to do so. Mr. Speaker, the board's decision requiring NWT brewing to market its products through the government's liquor warehouse along with the associated fee, prices its product right out of the market and, in my opinion, it flies in the face of the good work the Minister's department did to lower the manufacturing tax. We are supposed to be supporting small business growth, but this nonsense make it impossible for the NWT Brewing to grow even while their product is in high demand.
Mr. Speaker, I support the Minister in conducting a review of the act. That is commendable, but the board's original decision and the refusal to change that decision looks bad on this government, and it is simply bad for business. It needs to be changed. Later, I will have questions for the Minister of Finance. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.