Liquor board review underway
Finance minister says changes in the works; MLA to bring up issue during next sitting of legislative assembly
Jessica Davey-Quantick
Northern News Services
Friday, September 8, 2017
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Finance Minister Robert C. McLeod thinks it's time to belly up to the bar and revisit NWT Liquor Licensing Board.
McLeod, whose department oversees the liquor board, said a review of the board's guidelines and legislation is already underway.
"We're overwhelmed with guidelines and decision-making processes that haven't been looked at for some time," he said. "We're working with the liquor board and we're also having our legal department look at a couple of options. We're hoping to have something in place by the end of the month that would address the brew pub's concerns."
Yellowknifer previously reported the board denied a request from the Explorer Hotel to receive keg deliveries directly from NWT Brewing.
Instead, the hotel must purchase and pick up the beer through the liquor commission's warehouse on Old Airport Road, where administrative and warehouse fees are tacked on. NWT Brewing co-owner Fletcher Stevens estimates these fees, coupled with a 67-cent-per-litre beer tax, drive the price per keg to about $100 more than what major breweries are able to sell their kegs for in Yellowknife.
McLeod added his department would be reaching out to people involved for input on how to modernize the board's enforcement and decision-making processes, to make them "a bit more transparent."
The board, appointed by McLeod, is currently made up of Michael Hansen, Heather Bourassa, Wayne Smith and Linda Martin with Adelle Guigon as the vice-chair. Each member earns up to $325 per day for their service on the board. In order to appeal one of their decisions, complainants must take the matter to the Supreme Court.
McLeod declined to speculate on how the board came to its decision on the distribution matter, adding he's not responsible for the board's conduct.
"They're supposed to be operating at an arm's length from the government," he said.
"But if we hear enough concerns then obviously we have to review the guidelines and regulations that these boards operate under."
Yellowknife North MLA Cory Vanthuyne also intends to raise how the board has handled a request to let the NWT Brewing Company distribute its own beer when legislative assembly resumes Sept. 18.
"I have no choice now," said Vanthuyne, who added he's been working behind the scenes to address several different bureaucratic blocks the NWT Brewing Company has run up against in its two years of existence.
Vanthuyne acknowledged a mandate set by the 18th Legislative Assembly to promote and support small business.
"It is our job to do that," he said.
"Almost every corner (NWT Brewing has) turned since day one starting this company, they have run into a roadblock. Every single roadblock that they've run into has been a territorial government one."
The liquor board has remained mum on its decision, declining to elaborate to the public or even privately to Stevens.
"In order to maintain its impartiality as a quasi-judicial administrative tribunal, the board does not grant interviews to the media on any subject," stated Valerie Daniels, administrative assistant with liquor licensing and enforcement in an email.
Both Daniels and Jaimie Graham, general manager and registrar with the board, responded to inquires with links to legislation.
That lack of transparency is one of the things Vanthuyne plans to address at the legislative assembly.
"No one's able to get a straight answer out of them because they won't speak publicly as to why they take their particular positions," he said. "It's like throwing a rule book at somebody."
