Today Finance Minister Caroline Wawzonek introduced a bill to modernize the Northwest Territories (NWT) Liquor Act.
The proposed Bill will streamline how the industry is regulated, ensure safe public access to liquor, enhance community control over liquor, and modernize liquor enforcement.
The attached is being distributed on behalf of Indigenous governments, Indigenous organizations of the Northwest Territories, and the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT).
Minister of Health and Social Services, Julie Green, released An Alcohol Strategy for the Northwest Territories today. The intent of the strategy is to reduce alcohol-related harm. Heavy or risky alcohol use is associated with chronic health problems, injuries, violence, lost productivity, criminal justice issues, family problems and premature death.
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Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories is committed to creating a public service that ensures underrepresented groups are genuinely included, celebrated and supported to meet their full potential. It is a public service that strives to be welcoming, culturally competent, and free of discrimination; one that serves in a way that respects and includes the diverse population of this territory.
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Mr. Speaker, the COVID-19 pandemic challenged our entire society on a fundamental level, forcing us to grow and adapt in the face of unprecedented threats to the health and wellbeing of our loved ones and our communities. Three years since the outbreak of the pandemic, it is still easy for many of us to recall the fear and uncertainty of those early days, as the world searched for answers amid reports of rapidly rising death tolls.
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Mr. Speaker, as the Minister of Health and Social Service, I am deeply concerned about the harm alcohol does in our territory. Alcohol misuse continues to have significant, even devastating effects on individuals, families, and communities, resulting in poor health, social problems, and economic costs. We know that alcohol impacts NWT residents disproportionately compared to other regions in Canada, and alcohol-related hospitalizations and deaths remain several times higher.
The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is seeking input on the first phase of proposed amendments to the Child Day Care Standards Regulations.
The first phase includes:
The Government of the Northwest Territories would like to advise residents that the winter road season is coming to an end. Drivers should check the highway conditions map before embarking on their journey.
As temperatures increase and ice begins to melt, road conditions can quickly become unsafe for travel. While every effort will be made to provide advance notice, roads may need to close quickly.
Premier Caroline Cochrane today issued the following statement:
“This afternoon, federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland unveiled the 2023 Federal Budget. I, like many Northerners, have been eagerly awaiting its release to learn how it will support residents of the Northwest Territories (NWT).
On March 28-30, northern harvesters are invited to the Genuine Mackenzie Valley Fur forum (GMVF) at the Chief Drygeese Centre in Dettah.
This gathering brings together people involved in the NWT fur industry to exchange knowledge, discuss ways to support and enhance the GMVF program, and contribute to the growth and resilience of the northern traditional economy. Each day of the forum features a different theme: where we are now, where we are going, and how we get there.
