Mr. Speaker, this week is national Addictions Awareness week. Addictions and substance abuse is a major issue in the NWT and has been for many years. Unfortunately, the COVID pandemic has only intensified the existing struggles of addiction and substance abuse. The pandemic has increased feelings of isolation, stress, and anxiety and has severely limited the availability and accessibility of services for people with addictions and mental health issues.

Despite these challenges, the Government of the Northwest Territories has made several questionable changes to liquor regulations over the course of this pandemic.

Most recently on October 19th, 2021, the Department of Finance amended liquor regulations to enable residents to order liquor from liquor stores and have it delivered to their home via taxis. While this amendment is only in effect temporarily until December 31st, 2021, this decision has potential to cause devastating effects for those with addiction issues.

Mr. Speaker, according to a May 2021 report from the Canadian Institute for Mental Health Information, Canadians with past and current mental health concerns reported greater increases in substance abuse during the pandemic and those with past and current substance abuse concerns reported more mental health symptoms.

Those who reported poorer mental health were more likely to have increased their use of substances such as cannabis and alcohol. The report also states that more Canadians received substance related hospital care during the COVID pandemic than in the previous year.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted