My final comments, Mr. Chairman. I have expressed my viewpoints and my position earlier on today. We have been wrestling with this since it was first proposed. I am in a similar position that Mr. Arngna'naaq had indicated, between a rock and a hard place, in terms of where I personally sit on this issue. Many of my colleagues made comments earlier on how they felt about the process. I made some comments also. I do not think the process was well handled. It would have been difficult going out to employees and telling them we want to tax them and ask them how they felt about it. I know the response you would get. I still feel that they deserve an opportunity to express their feelings. So far, we and a few selected people have expressed our feelings on this proposal. I have also expressed my concerns in the Standing Committee on Finance. I believe, very much, as participating in as many committees as I can. I believe very strongly in the committee structures and the processes that we use in this Assembly. I stated in the Standing Committee on Finance, I was given an opportunity to talk, which I appreciate, even though I am not a Member of the committee. I stated to them that I would support whatever recommendations they came out with on this bill. However, they did not come to a full agreement. I have given it, obviously, a great deal of careful, sober consideration. I have listened to all of my colleagues and all of their comments. Earlier today I stated emphatically that as the bill stood and because of the comments made in the standing committee's report earlier that I could not support the bill. I have since in the last six hours changed my mind and I will not, at this stage, oppose the bill but I will not also be supporting the bill. I will stand by the SCOF recommendations and abstain from voting on it. Mahsi.
Fred Koe on Bill 27: Payroll Tax Act, 1993
In the Legislative Assembly on April 2nd, 1993. See this statement in context.
Bill 27: Payroll Tax Act, 1993
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
April 2nd, 1993
Page 1468
Fred Koe Inuvik
See context to find out what was said next.