Frequently in my political career I have made statements that have come back to haunt me and this must be another one. What I was trying to say at the time when I made my comment on taxation, I was trying to demonstrate to all who heard it and obviously all heard it, the seriousness that I placed on the need for this government to get a reasonable share of the benefits accrued from the nonrenewable resource industry, specifically diamonds. Taxation is one means in which this government can generate revenues that it can bring in and redistribute, in consultation with the Members of this House, back into the constituency at large. When am I going to bring in a tax, if I bring in a tax? Sensitive discussions are underway right now, as I believe my colleague knows, and we are trying to reach an amicable arrangement with the industry and some of the additional economic spinoffs that we think are necessary for northerners in the diamond industry. I am hopeful we will be able to come to some resolve on that. However, should there be a requirement for a tax that would bring about new revenues for the Western Territory and the future eastern territory, I still believe we have ample time to do that before the end of this illustrious time in this Assembly. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Steen.

Thank you. Mr. Steen. Your ten minutes is up. Mr. Minister.

There are huge ramifications, both fiscal and other, out there with respect to that kind of initiative. My understanding is this does not occur in Canada and never has. It does occur in the United States, Ms. Melhorn advises me. I would be prepared to take a preliminary look at it, but I think that at this stage of the game it would be very difficult because the federal government plays such a key role in our fiscal framework and it would require some discussions with Mr. Martin. I am prepared to take a preliminary look at it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Todd. Fiscal policy. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you. Mr. Todd.

Yes, just for clarity purposes, it is administered by MACA but I will undertake to hold discussions with them and see if there is a way to just make it automatic. Certainly, anything we could do to assist the elders of the territories we would be only happy to do. So I will undertake to take on discussions with my colleague, Ms. Thompson and her department and see if there is some way we can assist them to streamline this so it becomes, as my honourable colleague says, automatic and does not require continual form filling in. Thank you.

Thank you. Fiscal policy. Mr. Krutko.

Mr. Minister.

I would be prepared to, as again, it is administered by another department as you know. I will look at my counterparts or my colleagues in seeing if there is some way we can streamline both of these issues. I am not making any promises but what I will say is that we will look at it. I think there is some validity in my honourable colleagues questions here in terms of the forms and the frustration that the elders may feel. We will see what we can do.

Thank you. Fiscal policy, operations and maintenance. Mr. Steen.

Thank you. Mr. Todd.

I perhaps did not explain myself as well as I should have. There is a tax on off-highway fuel, but it is lower, I am advised by Mr. Setchell. As well, we have an aviation tax for the airplanes, et cetera. So there is a tax, but it is lower. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Steen.

Thank you. Perhaps we are speaking of assured tax, Mr. Minister.

My colleagues are advising me that there is a bit of a philosophical reasoning for some of this. Of course, for those people who do not have highways and off-highways, the costs are usually more expensive. Therefore, there is a lesser tax and, of course, those who do have highways, pay the higher price because they have highways.

Thank you. Mr. Steen.

Thank you. Mr. Todd.