Question 20-12(3): Costs And Savings To Be Realized From Staff Housing Policy
Item 6: Written Questions
Page 580
Fred Koe Inuvik
Mr. Speaker, I have a written question to the Minister of Finance.
1. What revenue will be generated by the GNWT in 1993-94 by implementing the new staff housing strategy;
2. What savings will result from the GNWT getting out of the staff housing business;
3. How many person years are going to be reduced from the budget because of the staff housing strategy, from what departments and from which region?
Question 20-12(3): Costs And Savings To Be Realized From Staff Housing Policy
Item 6: Written Questions
Page 580
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Item 6, written questions. Mr. Pudluk.
Question 21-12(3): Disposal Of Dew Line Site And Panarctic Oil Garbage
Item 6: Written Questions
Page 580
Ludy Pudluk High Arctic
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a written question to the Government Leader. We were at a meeting of the Canadian Armed Forces regarding the DEW Line site cleanup, and they indicated that they would bury the debris surrounding the site and have contracted PanArctic. They have been informed by the federal government not to bury the debris underground when they do the cleanup of the site.
I would like to ask the Government Leader why, when they are going to be cleaning up the site, they have different strategies to bury the surrounding debris in that site? Thank you.
Question 21-12(3): Disposal Of Dew Line Site And Panarctic Oil Garbage
Item 6: Written Questions
Page 580
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
We will take a short break.
---SHORT RECESS
Question 21-12(3): Disposal Of Dew Line Site And Panarctic Oil Garbage
Item 6: Written Questions
Page 580
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
I would like to call the House back to order. Item 7, returns to written questions. Item 8, replies to opening address. Item 9, replies to budget address. Mr. Lewis.
Item 9: Replies To Budget Address
Item 9: Replies To Budget Address
February 22nd, 1993
Page 580
Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have scratched a few notes in response to Mr. Pollard's budget address, which he delivered to us on Friday. This is the budget session and we are supposed to take this as the major item of business. So, Mr. Speaker, as I have done on every other occasion, I would like to make a short reply to it.
I think that Mr. Pollard demonstrated to us on Friday how weak we are as a government. We have virtually no room to manoeuvrer in raising revenue because of our very low population base. As a result, we have to resort to the usual balance of tax initiatives and expenditure cuts to live within our means. Unfortunately, even the most powerful economies have had to resort to this conventional approach in recessionary times. Because of our low population, however, the emphasis is more on the cutting of services and the redistribution of wealth, rather than on any real significant tax measures.
The payroll tax at one per cent has proven to be controversial, Mr. Speaker, not because of the amount involved, but because it misses the target. To many people the government has created an elephant trap to catch a mouse. In order to hit a target of 3,000 non-residents, everyone is taxed to make it palatable to northerners. Tax credits are then returned to northerners according to levels of taxable income. This means that residents of large centres such as Fort Smith and Yellowknife would bear the cost of the system. Although references are made to the economy in the budget, Mr. Speaker, nowhere do I see an expanded economy and the creation of greater wealth as a solution to our fiscal problems. We will continue to see the usual measures of adjusting the formula funding of cutting benefits and services and tinkering with minor tax initiatives as the way to go.
We continue to be narrowly focused and we will continue to be cursed by this unless we get away from the one track approach to our economy. We seem determined to resist the creation of a genuine private sector. We have not felt the recession the same as other Canadians because we really have an artificial economy completely dominated by the government and we do not seem to want to get away from it.
If Mr. Siddon is sincere about giving us the tools to secure our economic independence, this would be a far more significant tool to secure our future than any minor changes to the formula funding arrangement that we currently have.
Even though we have, in my opinion, a third world economy with very little generation of wealth, I had hoped to see some indication that we were ready to create the conditions for genuine economic development. The $6 million for training looks good but it is a one-time expenditure and human resources, unfortunately, cannot be developed in one year. It takes much longer than that. I see a great need to attract capital and to create wealth. To do this we need a stable political system where there is public confidence and certainty about the rules for development. We have talked about the need for infrastructure. Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, the responsibility for infrastructure, to the level we would like to see, still rests with the federal government and we are still very dependent on someone else's vision of how this part of the world is going to develop.
The key issues of human capital development, investment and infrastructure go beyond, I realize, what Mr. Pollard has addressed in his budget. If we accept that the generation of wealth, the creation of a bigger pie and an expanded economy are the only real significant sources of new revenue and that we need new powers from the federal government, we must put our political house in order to inspire confidence among investors.
I think Mr. Pollard has done a credible job in meeting the realities of reduced funding from the federal government and also he has attempted to tinker with ways in which we can reduce some of the benefits which people have had in the Northwest Territories for a long period of time. The big problems we have to resolve go beyond what we can expect him to address in his budget address to us. I believe the solution, in the long run, is the creation of economy and the creation of greater wealth, not just simply cutting services and trying to find a few million in taxes. It is a far greater problem than that. Thank you.
Item 9: Replies To Budget Address
Item 9: Replies To Budget Address
Page 581
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Item 9, replies to budget address. Item 10, petitions. Mr. Ningark.
Item 10: Petitions
Item 10: Petitions
Page 581
John Ningark Natilikmiot
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table Petition 11-12(3), signed by 192 tenants of the Taloyoak housing association, and it is prefaced with the following.
"To the territorial government and the MLA overseeing the community of Taloyoak, NWT, we the undersigned tenants of the Taloyoak housing association strongly oppose the proposed changes to the present rent scale. We cannot afford any increases which are planned, and ask you as our elected representative to take immediate action to ensure no changes take place for the public housing tenants of this community." Thank you.
Item 10: Petitions
Item 10: Petitions
Page 581
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Item 10, petitions. Item 11, reports of standing and special committees. Item 12, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 13, tabling of documents. Mr. Koe.
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents
Page 581
Fred Koe Inuvik
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table three letter as one document. Tabled Document 56-12(3), a letter from Bill Thrasher and Angela Blatt who are expressing their concerns about the effect the government's housing strategy will have on them; and a letter from Steven Lawson who is expressing his concern about the long-term staff housing strategy; and, a letter from Michael Conway expressing his extreme displeasure with the government's recent housing strategy.
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents
Page 581
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Item 13, tabling of documents. Mr. Ningark.
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents
Page 581
John Ningark Natilikmiot
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table Tabled Document 57-12(3), a copy of a letter to the director of the Kitikmeot board of education from the staff of Quqshuun Ilihakvik in Gjoa Haven concerning the government's housing strategy. Thank you.
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents
Page 581
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Item 13, tabling of documents. Mr. Patterson.
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents
Page 581
Dennis Patterson Iqaluit
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table Tabled Document 58-12(3), a letter from Mr. Duncan Cunningham the chairperson of the Iqaluit education council, expressing the council's concerns over the government's long-term staff housing policy. Thank you.
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents
Page 581
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Item 13, tabling of documents. Item 14, notices of motion. Mr. Nerysoo.
Motion 17-12(3): Appearance By Members Of Commission For Constitutional Development In Committee Of The Whole
Item 14: Notices Of Motion
Page 581
Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Thursday, February 25, 1993 I will move the following motion.
I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Keewatin Central that the members of the commission for constitutional development be invited to appear as witnesses in committee of the whole during the discussion of their report.
Motion 17-12(3): Appearance By Members Of Commission For Constitutional Development In Committee Of The Whole
Item 14: Notices Of Motion
Page 581
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Item 14, notices of motion. Item 15, notices of motions for first reading of bills. Item 16, motions. Item 17, first reading of bills. Item 18, second reading of bills. Item 19, consideration in committee of the whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 2-12(3): "The Justice House" - Report of the Special Advisor on Gender Equality; Bill 6, An Act to Amend the Commercial Tenancies Act; Bill 12, An Act to Amend the Mental Health Act; Bill 17, Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1993-94; Minister's Statement 34-12(3): Long-Term Staff Housing Strategy, Committee Report 10-12(3): Report on Tabled Document 21-12(3): Payroll Tax Act; Committee Report 11-12(3): Report on the Review of the 1993-94 Main Estimates, with Mr. Ningark in the chair.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 581
The Chair John Ningark
The committee will now come to order. When we concluded yesterday in committee of the whole, we were discussing Economic Development and Tourism, and when we concluded Mr. Zoe had the floor. What is the wish of the committee? Mr. Dent.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 581
Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Mr. Chairman, I recommend we continue on with general comments on the Department of Economic Development and Tourism.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 581
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Do we have the concurrence of the committee that we continue on with the Department of Economic Development and Tourism budget? Agreed?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 581
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
---Agreed
Department of Economic Development And Tourism
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 581
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Minister for Economic Development and Tourism, would you like to bring in the witnesses as you did yesterday?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 581
John Pollard Hay River
Yes, I would, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 581
The Chair John Ningark
Sergeant-at-Arms, would you bring in the witnesses?
Thank you. Mr. Minister, for the record would you introduce the witnesses, please?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 581
John Pollard Hay River
Mr. Chairman, I have with me Mr. Roland Bailey, the deputy minister of ED&T and also Mr. Jim Kennedy, director of finance for Economic Development and Tourism. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
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