This is page numbers 303 - 337 of the Hansard for the 12th Assembly, 5th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was chairman.

Return To Question 182-12(5): Exclusion Of Tax Initiatives In Budget
Question 182-12(5): Exclusion Of Tax Initiatives In Budget
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 307

John Pollard Hay River

Madam Speaker, simply because I wasn't sure what we would be doing. I wasn't sure what we would be able to do. I wasn't sure what the federal government was going to do exactly and I wasn't sure what the western provinces and some of the eastern provinces were going to do. I was torn and did not want to state something in the budget that I might have had to retract later. So, I dealt with it by saying that the potential loss to us was $2 million at that particular time. This is a situation, and I think that Mr. Ballantyne has recognized this, that is very fluid right now and it's moving all the time. There was nothing certain that I could put in the budget, Madam Speaker. Thank you.

Return To Question 182-12(5): Exclusion Of Tax Initiatives In Budget
Question 182-12(5): Exclusion Of Tax Initiatives In Budget
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Supplementary To Question 182-12(5): Exclusion Of Tax Initiatives In Budget
Question 182-12(5): Exclusion Of Tax Initiatives In Budget
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Since a decision has been made to ask for the support of this Assembly for tax increases, would the Minister indicate whether this is simply a tax to replace the money that would be lost because of the federal initiative? And if this particular bill that's being proposed would in fact be revenue neutral, how does he expect to increase our revenue as a result of his proposed amendments?

Supplementary To Question 182-12(5): Exclusion Of Tax Initiatives In Budget
Question 182-12(5): Exclusion Of Tax Initiatives In Budget
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

Thank you. Minister of Finance, Mr. Pollard.

Further Return To Question 182-12(5): Exclusion Of Tax Initiatives In Budget
Question 182-12(5): Exclusion Of Tax Initiatives In Budget
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 308

John Pollard Hay River

Madam Speaker, I've recommended to Madam Premier and the Cabinet, and they have accepted the fact, that we will not lower our taxes. I now will be suggesting to them that we increase our taxes to backfill the $2 million that we're going to lose. There may be a situation, Madam Speaker, where I might suggest to them that we move into the federal tax room as well and bring prices back to where they were before the announcement by the federal government. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Further Return To Question 182-12(5): Exclusion Of Tax Initiatives In Budget
Question 182-12(5): Exclusion Of Tax Initiatives In Budget
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Supplementary To Question 182-12(5): Exclusion Of Tax Initiatives In Budget
Question 182-12(5): Exclusion Of Tax Initiatives In Budget
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

That was an answer, but it wasn't an answer to the question I asked. What I'm trying to get at is, is this initiative of our government going to be a revenue neutral initiative so that we would not in fact be doing more than simply replacing the monies we would have lost because of the federal legislation?

Supplementary To Question 182-12(5): Exclusion Of Tax Initiatives In Budget
Question 182-12(5): Exclusion Of Tax Initiatives In Budget
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 308

The Speaker

Thank you. Minister of Finance, Mr. Pollard.

Further Return To Question 182-12(5): Exclusion Of Tax Initiatives In Budget
Question 182-12(5): Exclusion Of Tax Initiatives In Budget
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 308

John Pollard Hay River

Madam Speaker, I haven't gathered all the data yet and, until such time as I do, the very least that I will be recommending to Madam Premier and Cabinet is that it become revenue neutral. And, based on the information that is placed before me, I may suggest to them that we move into the federal tax room and pick up extra dollars. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Further Return To Question 182-12(5): Exclusion Of Tax Initiatives In Budget
Question 182-12(5): Exclusion Of Tax Initiatives In Budget
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 308

The Speaker

Thank you. Final supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Supplementary To Question 182-12(5): Exclusion Of Tax Initiatives In Budget
Question 182-12(5): Exclusion Of Tax Initiatives In Budget
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

I would like to ask the Minister how he's going to calculate what revenue he needs? I asked this question to the previous Minister of Finance a few years ago and he found out that his staff were in fact more clever than he thought they were. My question is, are you going to be able to judge the impact of this change on smokers because the assumption is that it will be reduced? In other words, once you tax something, then smoking will be reduced and therefore, you have to use some factor to decide how much money you're going to raise. How are you going to figure out how much money you're going to raise if you don't know what the impact of this tax increase will have to reduce the number of people who smoke?

Supplementary To Question 182-12(5): Exclusion Of Tax Initiatives In Budget
Question 182-12(5): Exclusion Of Tax Initiatives In Budget
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 308

The Speaker

Thank you. Minister of Finance, Mr. Pollard.

Further Return To Question 182-12(5): Exclusion Of Tax Initiatives In Budget
Question 182-12(5): Exclusion Of Tax Initiatives In Budget
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 308

John Pollard Hay River

Madam Speaker, I really don't know all the formulas that they use over at fiscal policy, but they have some formulas. If Mr. Lewis is ever over that way and drops into Jean Chretien's office, he will see all these formulas written on his board. I don't know all the formulas that they use, I know that they do have some method of calculation. Many times they go by historical data and they know the number of people in the NWT and they know, historically, the amount of tobacco they consume, et cetera. From that, they can give me a pretty good idea of what the impact will be but it's not a science. It gives you a good estimate, that's all, Madam Speaker. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 182-12(5): Exclusion Of Tax Initiatives In Budget
Question 182-12(5): Exclusion Of Tax Initiatives In Budget
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 308

The Speaker

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Zoe.

Henry Zoe

Henry Zoe North Slave

Mahsi. In 1993, Madam Speaker, the Association of Municipalities asked the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs to amend the Cities, Towns and Villages Act to more clearly define accountability to establish qualifications for the issuance of chauffeurs' permits. Many municipalities are concerned that a municipal by-law may be challenged if a municipality attempts to disqualify an applicant for a chauffeur's permit due to a criminal conviction.

Madam Speaker, on July 22, 1993, the Minister at the time responded, stating that the department officials would review this particular request. My question to the current Minister is if he could tell the House when this particular review will be completed? Thank you.

The Speaker

Thank you. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, recognizing at the time you were not the Minister responsible, you may want to attempt to answer this question.

Return To Question 183-12(5): Review Of Legislation Re Chauffeurs' Permits
Question 183-12(5): Review Of Legislation Re Chauffeurs' Permits
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 308

Silas Arngna'naaq Kivallivik

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I believe that there were a number of questions that were raised with regard to this particular resolution made by the NWT Association of Municipalities, some of which included areas that might infringe on individual's Charter of Rights. I understand that the department is, at this point, reviewing this particular legislation and should be able to advise the Association of Municipalities at their spring conference.

Return To Question 183-12(5): Review Of Legislation Re Chauffeurs' Permits
Question 183-12(5): Review Of Legislation Re Chauffeurs' Permits
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 308

The Speaker

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Zoe.

Supplementary To Question 183-12(5): Review Of Legislation Re Chauffeurs' Permits
Question 183-12(5): Review Of Legislation Re Chauffeurs' Permits
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 308

Henry Zoe

Henry Zoe North Slave

Is it my understanding that it is still under review and the Minister has indicated that he is not sure as to when this review will be concluded?

Supplementary To Question 183-12(5): Review Of Legislation Re Chauffeurs' Permits
Question 183-12(5): Review Of Legislation Re Chauffeurs' Permits
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 309

The Speaker

Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Further Return To Question 183-12(5): Review Of Legislation Re Chauffeurs' Permits
Question 183-12(5): Review Of Legislation Re Chauffeurs' Permits
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 309

Silas Arngna'naaq Kivallivik

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yes, that is correct.

Further Return To Question 183-12(5): Review Of Legislation Re Chauffeurs' Permits
Question 183-12(5): Review Of Legislation Re Chauffeurs' Permits
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 309

The Speaker

Thank you. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Health. Madam Speaker, during the last session, the Special Committee on Health and Social Services tabled its final report which suggested there was considerable room for improvement and change within the Department of Health. I was wondering if the Minister could advise if a functional review of the operations of the department has been undertaken?

The Speaker

Thank you. Minister of Health, Mr. Pollard.

Return To Question 184-12(5): Functional Review Of Department Of Health's Operations
Question 184-12(5): Functional Review Of Department Of Health's Operations
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 309

John Pollard Hay River

Yes, Madam Speaker, that functional review is almost completed. I received the first draft of it last Friday, and the department anticipates that within another ten days they will have the final report for my consideration. Thank you, Madam Speaker.