Thank you, Mr. Chairman. On another issue, the home owners or land tax rebate was cut last year from the amount they used to receive, from $400 to $300. It was done in an attempt to save money, taking into consideration the time of restraint we were in. However, it is also a disincentive for the people within the communities. Initially, the incentive program was there for people to try to build their homes to get some type of rebate from the government with regard to the amount of money they paid in land taxes. The amount was turned back. We may be sending a signal that we are not as supportive of encouraging home ownership, taking into consideration that this government is trying to get out of housing, being one of the biggest landlords in many of the communities, and, at the same time, taking the initiative of cutting back on the tax rebate program, which encourages home ownership, I would like to ask the Minister if he has given any consideration to reinstating the level of tax rebates it once levied as opposed to cutting back the tax rebate program. Thank you.
Debates of Feb. 26th, 1993
Topics
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
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Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha
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
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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
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Titus Allooloo Amittuq
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. No, we have not considered reinstating the level of rebate we used to give. We have not developed any paper for Cabinet to that effect.
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
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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
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Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha
Mr. Chairman, the Minister has indicated they have not considered that, but, as I stated earlier in my comments, since this government is getting out of home ownership, and the fact that they are trying to encourage home ownership in the communities, it is another incentive on the government's part to encourage individuals in the communities to build homes within the communities. They see the fact that they will get a portion of their funding back on the land tax rebate. Will the Minister take some advice and reconsider reinstating the amount of tax rebates once given to home owners as opposed to cutting back this form of incentive by this government? 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
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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
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Titus Allooloo Amittuq
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Where I see this could be considered is under the overall housing strategy by the government. That might be one of the things that could be looked at. 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
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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
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Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha
Mr. Chairman, that is the problem. There has been some concern identified in this House with respect to the housing strategy not being a cohesive government plan. The concern of my constituents is, they have had to absorb many of the things with respect to the way the housing strategy was done. Now that they have been encouraged to build their own homes, they have. This government has now taken away the incentive in the form of a tax rebate, which this department used to give to home owners. There was a tax rebate of $400. Without notice, this government has cut that back to $300 a year for a tax rebate. You are creating a disincentive for people to want to build, and yet, the government is encouraging them to build. This is a point I am trying to make. Therefore, will the Minister reconsider reinstating the level of assistance in a tax rebate form to be increased in the future? 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
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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
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Titus Allooloo Amittuq
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, I will look at the program again. 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
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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
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Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha
Just to confirm one more item, Mr. Chairman, will there be no other reduction in the tax rebate program in 1993-94? 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
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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
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Titus Allooloo Amittuq
That is correct.
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
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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
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Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Those were the only two particular items I had on this department. 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
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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
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John Ningark Natilikmiot
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I need a clarification. What is good fiscal management? Is it when the municipal corporation ends the fiscal year with zero balance, or is it when the municipal corporation ends the budget year with a surplus? When the municipality ends the year with a surplus, is the municipality rewarded by giving that municipal corporation the discretion to do whatever it wants with that surplus? Is the municipal corporation penalized when they end the year with a surplus by the government cutting the new fiscal year funding? 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
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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
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Titus Allooloo Amittuq
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The fiscal management we consider good management is when they break even or when they come out with a surplus. On the operations side, we allow the municipal corporation to keep the surplus. On the water and sewer side they have to put their surplus back into the water and sewer program. 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
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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
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John Ningark Natilikmiot
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. When a municipal corporation ends the year with a surplus, and according to the Minister, it is good for both the corporation and the government. When this happens is the municipal corporation penalized? Is funding for the new year cut because they had a surplus the previous year? 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
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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
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Titus Allooloo Amittuq
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. No, the community does not get penalized. They are allowed to keep the surplus on the operations side. Thank you.