Mr. Chairman, we are now paying out the vacation travel assistance to Northwest Territories Teachers' Association and senior management employees. We pay out the airfare and the equivalent amount of the G.S.T. that they would have to pay. The precedent has been set, Mr. Chairman and in the eyes of our Department of Justice, we were responsible for the G.S.T. as well. This is the reason for it, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.
Debates of Dec. 7th, 1992
Topics
Bill 14: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 1992-93
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 315
John Pollard Hay River
Bill 14: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 1992-93
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 315
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Gargan.
Bill 14: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 1992-93
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 316
Samuel Gargan Deh Cho
Is this just an opinion by the Department of Justice or was there actually a challenge?
Bill 14: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 1992-93
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 316
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Minister.
Bill 14: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 1992-93
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 316
John Pollard Hay River
Mr. Chairman, employees receiving cash pay out of V.T.A. have previously been provided with the cost of airfare, airport taxes and G.S.T. Of course when the invoice is not sent directly to the government for a plane ticket, if a regular person purchases from a travel agency or an airline, he has to pay the G.S.T. Since the precedent has been set with the other taxes, the Department of Justice believes that if this ever went to arbitration, we would lose this one, Mr. Chairman. So we are paying out the vacation travel assistance plus the G.S.T. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Bill 14: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 1992-93
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 316
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Gargan.
Bill 14: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 1992-93
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 316
Samuel Gargan Deh Cho
I am not a lawyer, but as a private citizen I would say that this is unfair. I do not think the government should be in a position to start paying G.S.T. for employees, when they cannot give the same break to the general public. I find this unfair. I do not know how the heck you can possibly say that you are going to lose this case, if it is based on fairness. I cannot find this possible.
Bill 14: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 1992-93
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 316
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you very much, Mr. Gargan. I would like to remind all the Members that this is a public forum and that they should watch their language. Mr. Minister.
Bill 14: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 1992-93
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 316
John Pollard Hay River
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, we think it is a way of being fair with our employees. They are entitled to vacation travel assistance and when we were issuing travel warrants there was no G.S.T. to be paid. Now that we are issuing cash payment, then you can in effect say that their airfare would be discounted by seven per cent if we did not pay the G.S.T. We do pay the cost of airfare, plus airport taxes. We have paid these airport taxes before and have always done that. In our opinion, we have set a precedent and we are paying a benefit to an employee and that benefit will be taxed. Therefore, in the opinion of the Department of Justice, if it did go to arbitration, it would come down in favour of the employees. We are requesting to pay the seven per cent G.S.T., Mr. Chairman. Thank you.
Bill 14: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 1992-93
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 316
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Gargan.
Bill 14: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 1992-93
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 316
Samuel Gargan Deh Cho
Mr. Chairman, I would like to make a motion.
Bill 14: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 1992-93
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
December 6th, 1992
Page 316
The Chair John Ningark
Proceed, Mr. Gargan.
Committee Motion 46-12(3): To Delete $193,000 Under Activity Employee Benefits, Personnel
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 316
Samuel Gargan Deh Cho
Mr. Chairman, I move that under the Personnel employee benefits, we delete the not previously authorized $193,000. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Committee Motion 46-12(3): To Delete $193,000 Under Activity Employee Benefits, Personnel
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 316
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you, Mr. Gargan. We need to make copies of your motion, and we also need it translated in the appropriate languages of this House. Would you provide the committee with the written motion, Mr. Gargan? For the time being, we will defer this page and move on. We will get back to this page when we get Mr. Gargan's motion in writing. Agreed?
Committee Motion 46-12(3): To Delete $193,000 Under Activity Employee Benefits, Personnel
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 316
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
---Agreed
Department Of Justice
Committee Motion 46-12(3): To Delete $193,000 Under Activity Employee Benefits, Personnel
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 316
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Page 11, Justice, operations and maintenance, directorate, not previously authorized $20,000. Agreed?
Committee Motion 46-12(3): To Delete $193,000 Under Activity Employee Benefits, Personnel
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 316
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
---Agreed
Committee Motion 46-12(3): To Delete $193,000 Under Activity Employee Benefits, Personnel
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 316
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Police services, not previously authorized $1.722 million. Agreed?
Committee Motion 46-12(3): To Delete $193,000 Under Activity Employee Benefits, Personnel
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 316
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
---Agreed
Committee Motion 46-12(3): To Delete $193,000 Under Activity Employee Benefits, Personnel
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 316
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Legal aid, not previously authorized $62,000. Agreed?
Committee Motion 46-12(3): To Delete $193,000 Under Activity Employee Benefits, Personnel
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 316
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
---Agreed
Committee Motion 46-12(3): To Delete $193,000 Under Activity Employee Benefits, Personnel
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 316
The Chair John Ningark
Page 12, Appropriation Act, No. 3, Justice, operation and maintenance, lawyer support services, not previously authorized $15,000. Agreed?
Committee Motion 46-12(3): To Delete $193,000 Under Activity Employee Benefits, Personnel
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 316
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
---Agreed
Committee Motion 46-12(3): To Delete $193,000 Under Activity Employee Benefits, Personnel
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 316
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Registrars and court services, not previously authorized $137,000. Agreed?
Committee Motion 46-12(3): To Delete $193,000 Under Activity Employee Benefits, Personnel
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 316
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
---Agreed