Students 'brutally honest' to MLAs during cannabis tour, despite meagre turnout in Inuvik

Northwest Territories MLAs have made it a priority to speak with students on their whirlwind cannabis consultation tour around the territory, though only a couple of students took them up on the offer during their stop in Inuvik.

Just two students from East Three Secondary School took the chance to discuss cannabis legalization with leaders Thursday morning. The legislative committee, consisting of a group of regular MLAs, are visiting 17 communities in 11 days as they take stock of the territory's ideas and attitudes towardimpending cannabis legalization.

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Nuhami Gabeyehu, 15,was one of the students.

"The youth needed to share their voice about the matter, and I thought the more people that engaged inthis, the better the law would come [out]," said Gabeyehu.

Gabeyehudoes not believe that cannabis should be legalized, and asked MLAsat one point during the meeting why it was being legalized "if it's harmful."

Youth show 'really strong leadership': MLA

Committee Chair Kieron Testart says theMLAshavealso spoken to students inUlukhaktok and Tuktoyaktuk during their tour. In both communities,around 20 students from each hamlet participated.

"Young Northerners are showing really strong leadership on this issue," said Testart.

These young people have a voice and their voice is to be respected.- Gene Jenks, principal of East Three school

"They're being brutally honest and it's good, because if it's not working and we need to come up with better ideas, we should be talking to the people who are trying to ... make positive and healthy decisions for their lives and future."

Gene Jenks, East Three school'sprincipal,says there are many students at the school interested in legalization, but for various reasons maynot have wanted to come to the meeting.

"This is a topic that is very far reaching," he said. "A lot of students have opinions, but may not necessarily be comfortable expressing them to a audience."

Jenkssaidhe was proud of both students who attended for keeping the MLAs on their toes.

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"It was a testament to them and their knowledge of the issue that they came here, expressed their opinions," he said.

"[It]really showed that these young people have a voice and their voice is to be respected."

Thursday marked the last day of the tour. In addition to the school meeting in Inuvik, a public meeting took place Thursday evening in Yellowknife.

Testart says that MLAs will now be tasked with providing suggestions from the information they gathered from residents across the territory.

"I believe quite strongly that this bill needs to be amended," said Testart. "Significantly in some areas.