Senator Duncan: Senator Tannas, in light of the fact that Diamond Tooth Gerties has been licensed since long before I was legal to be drinking or gambling there — I was, honest — do you not think that because these special provisions were licensed by Canada and they have worked all these years as tourism and as an economic generator, and because the Yukon also has government-to-government-to-government relationships with First Nations, perhaps it would be worthy of study by your committee or by the group studying this legislation? To that effect, I would not consider proposing an amendment without substantial consultation — to Senator Batters’ point — with the territory and the First Nation governments. It needs to be all three at least.

Senator Duncan: Thank you. I’m going to ask this question without being incredibly familiar with your bill.

In this discussion, I have not heard the situation in the North referenced at all, and the three territories are completely different. In the Yukon, Diamond Tooth Gerties in Dawson City was — to the best of my knowledge — the first gambling hall licensed in Canada. The restrictions on their licence are that a certain percentage of the money raised has to go to improvements, restoration and work in the community.

I’ve also heard you mention this as referencing on-reserve. We don’t have reserves in the Yukon. We have government-to-government relationships. How on earth would this bill fit into the Yukon situation? I have no idea about Nunavut or the Northwest Territories. To the best of my knowledge, they don’t have gambling situations like Diamond Tooth Gerties.

How would you see the North fitting in — in particular, the Yukon — to this legislation?

Hon. Pat Duncan: Will Senator Tannas take a question?

Hon. Pat Duncan rose pursuant to notice of May 3, 2023:

That she will call the attention of the Senate to the one hundred and twenty-fifth anniversary of the Yukon Act, an Act of Parliament adopted on June 13, 1898.

(On motion of Senator Duncan, debate adjourned.)

(At 9:26 p.m., the Senate was continued until tomorrow at 2 p.m.)