Well, Mr. Chairman, of course, anything we do with taxation which relates to this kind of initiative would require, to some extent, federal concurrence in terms of the operation. As I indicated to an earlier question raised by my colleague, Mr. Steen, I am prepared to look at it and take a cursory look as to whether this has the kind of value that Mr. Steen is talking about to see if, in fact, there would be any room for us to move it forward. I would caution everybody by saying that it really would require the concurrence of our counterparts at the federal level. Thank you.
Debates of Feb. 4th, 1998
Topics
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 563
John Todd Keewatin Central
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 563
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. We are on page 3-8, fiscal policy, operations and maintenance, total operations and maintenance, $701,000. Agreed?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 563
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 563
The Chair John Ningark
Mr. Krutko is indicating he wanted to speak but Mr. Roland is also indicating. Since Mr. Roland has not spoken yet, at this time I recognize Mr. Roland.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 564
Floyd Roland Inuvik
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Can the Minister tell us what is the normal practice of tabling the Formula Financing Agreement?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 564
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Todd.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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John Todd Keewatin Central
Ms. Melhorn advises me it is required in the Financial Agreement Act that we tabled the formula financing arrangements. We tabled this last one, which has taken us over two years. It is not unusual, by the way, to sign off because we had some differences, as you know. Apparently the one previous to that was tabled. Thank you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 564
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Roland.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 564
Floyd Roland Inuvik
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So you are saying, that was going to be my next question, what is the normal timeframe of one? For example, you mentioned in your opening remarks that hopefully by sometime in March the federal government will be looking at the Formula Financing Agreement to see if it is acceptable or whatever. When will we see that tabled in the Assembly, the new one, yes? Thank you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 564
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Todd.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 564
John Todd Keewatin Central
Well again, we do not have a time frame at this time for signing the agreement. We are in the thick of negotiations, as they say. I have said in the House on frequent occasions that my optimistic side says I would like to see some agreements in the terms of the levels of financing, hopefully sometime in the end of March or April. You have to work out some of the fine details, Ms. Melhorn is telling me, to do the drafting, et cetera, because it is a fairly extensive document. Then it has to be signed by both governments and then it is tabled. So with a bit of luck maybe in the spring or fall of this year. Thank you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 564
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Total operations and maintenance. Mr. Krutko.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My question is regarding aviation fuel and where there seems to be a real increase in the price of the fuel plus tax, now, with NAV Canada coming down with possible increase and charging. At the end of the day the consumer is the one who is going to end up paying. Is there a possibility of looking at the whole aviation, the way they are presently being taxed and all these other implications to the cost of transportation in the north, majority of that by flying. This is one area that could be beneficial to the residents of the Northwest Territories by bringing down the cost of airline tickets and what not. Will the Minister look at the possibility of looking at the whole aviation industry regarding the way that they are taxed? If there is a way that we can take and count the pressures on that industry and also the increasing costs to that industry because of these other associated fees are being charged to them regarding the NAV Canada phase. Then also regarding the fuel tax.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 564
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Todd.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 564
John Todd Keewatin Central
Well, I think my colleague will be surprised at the answer. The aviation tax has not changed since 1983 and it is only one cent a litre. I am surprised myself. There has been no significant change and it is a cent a litre and I think it is highly competitive, if that is the right word, in terms of other jurisdictions. There have been no changes for 10, 14, 15 years. Thank you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 564
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Krutko.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 564
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I was talking in regard to the increased cost of the aviation fuel itself, which has had a barrier in regard to the cost of not only the operator of the aviation company, but to the consumer.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 564
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Todd.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 564
John Todd Keewatin Central
Well, of course this would be a wonderful opportunity to say something but I will not. The cost of fuel really is dictated by world prices, whether it is the private sector or the government purchase based on that. One of the few areas where I think we were trying to demonstrate that there could be some faint savings was in the delivery side of things. Really, the cost of fuel itself is bought on the world market. I believe even the last time in the eastern Arctic it was actually bought offshore. So we have very little influence over the cost of fuel. The only primary influence we have, which I think we were trying to get to many months ago, was on the delivery costs in one particular area that will remain unmentioned. Anyway, the reality is that we have no say in the world price of fuel. Thank you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 564
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Fiscal policy, total operations and maintenance, $701,000. Agree?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 564
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 564
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. On page 3-9, Bureau of Statistics, operations and maintenance, total operations and maintenance, $863,000. Agreed?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 564
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 564
The Chair John Ningark
Agreed?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 564
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.