[English translation not provided] ... prohibition order in place. I'll use the short form as "TPO" for that. This is the prohibition of all alcohol within the area of the community. There is a means to stop the flow of alcohol into the community as the consumption of excess alcohol leads to many social problems.

Mr. Speaker, it is known that the continued use of alcohol for prolonged periods of time eventually puts a strain on the healthcare system and has a significant impact on the resources of the RCMP, not to mention significant impact on the lives of friends and families.

In my community, the RCMP were doing double duty. They are not only tending to their regular duties, but include chasing down party-goers who were in contravention of the Chief Public Health Officer's orders banning all gatherings due to the coronavirus pandemic. The RCMP were dealing with a host of alcohol-related incidents, including physical assaults and sexual assaults, all from the excess consumption of alcohol stemming from the free-flow of funds from the COVID-19 initiatives.

My community of Fort Providence, a population of around 750 people, requested the TPO, but according to the NWT Liquor Act, if there is a liquor establishment within the community, then there would be no issuance of a TPO; the community would have to go to the community-wide plebiscite route. This takes up a lot of resources to pull off, and it does take some time, the same formalities as an election, and we know how long that would take, and all of that during the time of a pandemic.

Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of Finance at the appropriate time. Mahsi.