Mr. Speaker, I could speak to this directly as I was a manufacturer before I got elected. It’s not always about money. It’s about the process, about getting information out there of what’s directly available to the government of Northwest Territories in particular, about the round of procurement issues. There are these types of challenges. I personally do not think it’s about putting money towards a strategy or off-setting a cost. There’s already a 30 per cent allotment to manufacturers for their product to be in the Northwest Territories and we built here. These are conversations that we are going to have to have with the manufacturers moving forward and what types of challenges we need to address. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister’s experience and his response on that. I also appreciate that he’s talking about procurement again. Maybe there is a need to look at this. Will the Minister look at procurement including any proposed reforms through the process of the manufacturing strategy? Thank you.

Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. These are discussions that we’re going to have like I said with the manufacturing strategy. One thing I can say around procurement: when we go out and have our conversations with members of the public service that do delivery of procurement, there is this discussion around the manufacturers in the Northwest Territories. We highlight who are the manufacturers, which products are available to them, and which communities they are based in, and we are continually educating people within the department on the manufacturers in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. My questions are for the Minister of Finance and I apologize. I didn’t give him a heads up before getting in here but I’ve had concerns raised to me by constituents about liquor licensing here in Yellowknife. I believe I heard the Minister say earlier in this sitting that he was going to be conducting a review of liquor licensing. I think that that would also include some public engagements. Can the Minister just talk to us a little bit about the scope of that review of liquor licensing? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we were going to look at the liquor licensing across the Northwest Territories, and when the Member stands up to ask his second question, if he would take a little bit of time so that I could pull it up in a briefing note, I would be happy to respond.

I am glad he has done the heavy lifting and he has got his briefing binder on his desk now. I had asked about the scope of the review, and I believe he committed to some public engagements around that. Maybe I could get the Minister to commit to provide more information to this side of the House, and perhaps even to the public about what the scope of this review is going to entail?

I can commit to providing a scope of the review to Members, and then, I think we will be in a position to share that review with the public. As I committed to it, I think earlier in this session, we are hoping to get some public input into the review. I will make that commitment that we will work with Members and make sure we get the information out to the public.

I want to thank the Minister for that, and I know I put him on the spot, but that is what I was hoping to hear. I mentioned earlier how I have had some constituents raise these issues with me. Would the Minister be willing to meet informally with Yellowknife business owners, operators, to discuss improvements to our liquor licensing? Is that something the Minister would be prepared to commit to?

I have had an opportunity to meet with one of the manufacturers here in the capital along with a Member from Yellowknife North, and a very productive meeting. They made a lot of their concerns known, and I think we took that away and we realized that they had a very valid point, so I think we were trying to take steps to address that. There will be an opportunity for the businesses to have input, and if they require a meeting of myself, then, I am sure I can make arrangements to have a sit down with them as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Time for oral questions has expired. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery.

Colleagues, I would like to draw your attention to visitors in the gallery. We have with us Elaine Keenan-Bengts who is the Information and Privacy Commissioner. Later on today, we will be tabling her document in the House. Welcome. Item 9, written questions. Item 10, returns to written questions. Item 11, replies to Commissioner's opening address. Item 12, petitions. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 14, tabling of documents. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled "Seniors' Information Handbook, September 2017." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Tabling of documents. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following two documents entitled "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 852-18(2), Management of Northern Water Resources," and "Follow-up Letter for Oral Questions 864-18(2), Species at Risk Protection of Caribou." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Tabling of documents.

Pursuant to section 68 of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, I wish to table the "2016-2017 Annual Report of the Information and Privacy Commission of the Northwest Territories." I would like to draw your attention to members present, to Elaine Keenan-Bengts who is the Information and Privacy Commissioner. Masi for joining us.

Pursuant to section 21 of the Human Rights Act, I wish to table the "2016-2017 Annual Report of the Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission." Members, also please join me in welcoming Mr. Yacub Adams, member of the Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission who is also in the gallery with us today. Masi.

Pursuant to section 5 of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, I wish to table the "Summary of Members' Absences for the Period May 25, 2017 to September 18, 2017."

Masi. Tabling of Documents. Item 15, notices of motion. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 17, motions. Item 18, first reading of Bills. Minister of Finance.

Masi. To the principle of the bill.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed?

---Carried.

Masi. Bill 33 has had its first reading. Item 19, second reading of bills. Minister of Finance.