This is page numbers 401 - 429 of the Hansard for the 12th Assembly, 7th 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 election.

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism. Mr. Speaker, in the last little while there has been a lot of talk in the press about incentives that provincial governments have provided to get new businesses. We have heard a lot about New Brunswick, for instance, and Newfoundland has recently announced a new tax incentive plan to entice new businesses to set up shop there, which includes, among other provisions: a 10-year tax holiday with provisions perhaps going up as long as 15 years; exemption from provincial corporate taxes; exemptions for health taxes; and, exemptions from provincial retail sales taxes.

My question is, has the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism looked at this sort of incentive program for new businesses and perhaps discussed with the Minister of Finance whether or not it would be possible?

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, Mr. Todd.

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John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, we haven't at this time. Thank you.

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

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Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Supplementary. Since it seems a number of jurisdictions across Canada are making moves in this area, does the Minister see this as a worthwhile thing to follow up on? Will he take a look at tax incentive proposals?

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Todd.

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John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If my memory serves me correctly, when I was on the other side, as chairman of the Standing Committee on Finance, my honourable colleague and I looked at the potential of RRSPs in terms of economic development, et cetera. We looked at the possibility of offshore investments to the immigrant investment program. To be frank, nothing has been done to date but I think the advice that he has given me is valid, and I will commit to re-examining some of these options that we had talked about two years ago. Thank you.

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Patterson.

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation. Mr. Speaker, I understand that the rent increases on the social housing rent scale are to be phased in over four years. Could the Minister explain how these rent increases are going to be phased in over the coming four years? Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Minister of the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Morin.

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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The rent will increase by 30 per cent on April 1st. I believe 40 per cent of the clients in social housing right now, their rent will decrease April 1st. There are 20 per cent that will stay same. The 40 per cent that increase, they will increase April 1st by 30 per cent; the following year, by 30 per cent; the year following that, by 30 per cent; and, the last year by 10 per cent. That is what was agreed on. Thank you.

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

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Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my constituents whose rents are increasing -- and I acknowledge some of their rents are not increasing -- have heard of this 30 per cent figure and they are somewhat confused. I would like to ask the Minister when he says the rents will increase by 30 per cent on April 1st, does that mean that a tenant whose rent will increase will see 30 per cent more rent paid by that tenant, compared to what they are paying now? Thank you.

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Morin.

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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will just use for an example: if a person is paying $1 for rent right now, and they are going to get an increase of $1,000, as of April 1st it would increase by $300. So instead of them paying the $1, they would pay $301. That is my understanding of how it should work. Thank you.

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Patterson, supplementary.

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Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

So, Mr. Speaker, using the Minister's own example, it is incorrect to suggest to public housing tenants whose rent is going to increase that it will only increase 30 per cent. Using the Minister's example, rents could increase up to 300 per cent under this so-called 30 per cent rule. Is that not true, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Mr. Morin.

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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What everybody agreed to is that the rents would be phased in. We are not going to increase rents a 100 per cent overnight, we will phase in rent in 30 per cent portions of that 100 per cent rent. That is what we are going to do April 1st, which everybody agreed to. Thank you.

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Mr. Patterson, final supplementary.

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Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My point of concern is about the manner in which these rent increases are being described by the Housing Corporation to tenants and by the Minister in this House. Wouldn't it be more appropriate, Mr. Speaker, rather than to say the rent will increase by 30 per cent, to describe it differently and to say that the rent will increase by $1,000 and the first year the tenant will pay 30 per cent of that $1,000 increase. Isn't that the more accurate way to describe it, rather than describing it as a 30 per cent increase? Thank you.

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Morin.

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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Housing Corporation has undertaken to do this new rent scale, they have made commitments, as I have made commitments to Members of this House, to do individual counselling with every client who is affected by the rent scale. So the Housing Corporation staff along with, for example, local people in Iqaluit, will meet with clients and explain it to them. I agree with the Member -- your rent is going up by $1,000 over the next four years and this year you will pay $300 rent -- so that is how it should be explained to the client. Thank you.

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Allooloo.

Question 222-12(7): Delay Of Rent Scale Implementation
Item 6: Oral Questions

March 1st, 1995

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Titus Allooloo Amittuq

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I heard answers from the Minister of the Housing Corporation, I also have some concerns coming from my constituents. People in my constituency are being evicted from their houses in 40-below temperatures; I have a grave concern about this. Some people cannot afford the increase that is being proposed by April 1st. I would like to ask the Minister of the Housing Corporation what he is going to do with clients who have not been informed about their coming increases. What is he going to do with the clients who have not received any information as to what kind of increases will be imposed? Can the Minister delay the increases before those people are given information about the increases? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.