In the Legislative Assembly on February 11th, 1994. See this topic in context.
Question 65-12(5): Minister's Role In Consultations Re Tobacco Tax
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 99
Tony Whitford Yellowknife South
Madam Speaker, perhaps I was speaking metaphorically and I shouldn't have. I would like to ask the Minister, which Minister was he when he was in Ottawa when the Canadian government consulted him -- if they consulted him -- on this tax issue? I shouldn't speak in metaphors.
---Laughter
Question 65-12(5): Minister's Role In Consultations Re Tobacco Tax
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 99
The Speaker
Thank you. Minister of Finance, Mr. Pollard.
Return To Question 65-12(5): Minister's Role In Consultations Re Tobacco Tax
Question 65-12(5): Minister's Role In Consultations Re Tobacco Tax
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 99
John Pollard Hay River
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I was Minister of Finance at the Finance Ministers' meeting when this issue was discussed and I was Minister of Health at the recent Health Ministers' meeting when this issue was discussed. If people are worried that if I have a conflict, Madam Speaker, the Minister of Health wants to save lives and the Minister of Finance wants to save dollars. I think this is a win-win situation. Anyway you cut it, if more people start smoking, we're going to have to pay that price down the road and it's a huge price across Canada. I think we can handle this thing.
I want people to disregard the money issue right now, as far as revenues lost or revenues gained, although they're important. The issue right now is that the cost to us down the road is going to be human lives, it is going to be emphysema, it's going to be lung cancer and heart disease. We have seen a lessening of smoking in the Northwest Territories in the last three years and we want that to continue. One of the ways we can do that is by keeping the price higher. I think that's what we have to keep in mind, the health of our population, because we already do pretty well at smoking and we certainly don't want it to increase. Thank you.
Return To Question 65-12(5): Minister's Role In Consultations Re Tobacco Tax
Question 65-12(5): Minister's Role In Consultations Re Tobacco Tax
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 99
The Speaker
Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Whitford.
Supplementary To Question 65-12(5): Minister's Role In Consultations Re Tobacco Tax
Question 65-12(5): Minister's Role In Consultations Re Tobacco Tax
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 99
Tony Whitford Yellowknife South
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I have a letter and I'm sure all the Members received it too, from a well-known citizen of our community who knows only too well the effects of tobacco on health. He urges that the Minister not cave into the actions of the federal government by reducing cigarette taxes and to keep the taxes high so that consumption remains low. I guess the Minister has a tough job to do because of the smuggling part of it.
He has pointed out what he is going to do, but I just wonder what the effect of this is going to be, when he says if someone decides to bring a couple of cartons of cigarettes over the border and the police catch them, all they have to say is they're going to pay the tax on it later on. In his conversations with the RCMP on this matter, have they indicated what kind of follow up takes place after someone makes a commitment to pay the taxes voluntarily on tobacco products that are brought over? Is there any follow up on this?
Supplementary To Question 65-12(5): Minister's Role In Consultations Re Tobacco Tax
Question 65-12(5): Minister's Role In Consultations Re Tobacco Tax
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 99
The Speaker
The Minister of Finance, Mr. Pollard.
Further Return To Question 65-12(5): Minister's Role In Consultations Re Tobacco Tax
Question 65-12(5): Minister's Role In Consultations Re Tobacco Tax
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 99
John Pollard Hay River
Madam Speaker, I don't want anybody to think that the RCMP are going to be standing at the bottom of the stairs of aircrafts, asking people how many cartons of cigarettes they have on them. That's not what I'm intending to get across. What I'm saying is that if the RCMP stopped you from speeding to the airport and your trunk was full of cigarettes, you could turn around and say that you are going to send the taxes in.
Further Return To Question 65-12(5): Minister's Role In Consultations Re Tobacco Tax
Question 65-12(5): Minister's Role In Consultations Re Tobacco Tax
Item 5: Oral Questions
February 10th, 1994
Page 100
The Speaker
Supplementary, Mr. Whitford.
Further Return To Question 65-12(5): Minister's Role In Consultations Re Tobacco Tax
Question 65-12(5): Minister's Role In Consultations Re Tobacco Tax
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 100
Tony Whitford Yellowknife South
Thank you, Madam Speaker. The subject of taxes also relates to another commodity, that being the purchase of alcohol in the provinces. Does this same principle apply to the import of alcohol products from other provinces, when taxes are not paid in the territories? Does the voluntary aspect of the import of alcohol from other provinces apply, as well?
Further Return To Question 65-12(5): Minister's Role In Consultations Re Tobacco Tax
Question 65-12(5): Minister's Role In Consultations Re Tobacco Tax
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 100
The Speaker
Mr. Whitford, I know what you are attempting to ask the Minister of Finance, but supplementaries are intended to follow suit with the initial question. You initially questioned the Minister of Health and then went to the taxes applied by the Minister of Finance. Now, you're attempting to seek an answer from the Minister of Finance with respect to alcohol. I would like to ask you to rephrase your question to either ask a question about taxes or a question that relates to your initial question to the Minister of Health. That is the intent of supplementary questions. Thank you. Mr. Whitford.
Further Return To Question 65-12(5): Minister's Role In Consultations Re Tobacco Tax
Question 65-12(5): Minister's Role In Consultations Re Tobacco Tax
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 100
Tony Whitford Yellowknife South
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I thought the Minister was answering as the Minister of Finance, because it is hard to separate that kind of creature. It is hard to tell from this distance what he is exactly, at this moment in time.
---Laughter
I thought he answered as the Minister of Finance and that's why I asked the question dealing with finances. I can't carry on the questioning on alcohol because it doesn't relate to tobacco, although people do smoke and drink at the same time. I will save it for another day, Madam Speaker.
---Laughter
Further Return To Question 65-12(5): Minister's Role In Consultations Re Tobacco Tax
Question 65-12(5): Minister's Role In Consultations Re Tobacco Tax
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 100
The Speaker
Thank you, Mr. Whitford. Not everyone smokes and drinks at the same time.
---Laughter
Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Antoine.
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