Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just to answer Mr. Roland's comments first and then Mr. Braden's, we are benefiting this year from large corporate taxes. We cannot count on those happening every year, not in the same way in any case. However, I think as our economy grows, we will see increases in all of the tax areas as people are employed and companies are doing well. So we are going to see a continually improving situation in terms of our revenues. I am fairly optimistic about that.
The other factor in here, is as we are progressing along we are also talking resource revenue sharing. Resource revenue sharing is going to change our whole fiscal situation considerably as well.
As our economy improves, we will also hopefully see some decreases, at least in a proportionate level compared to our whole budget, in social program costs, which would be seeing less of a percentage of our people dependent on income support and the other programs as we get a healthier economy.
On fly-in/fly-out, that is an ongoing issue. We have looked at the payroll tax. We will continue to look at the payroll tax. Because we have to apply it to everyone, it does create a bit of a burden for northern residents, but as our economy improves, maybe we can afford to look at a payroll tax and at the same time, look at tax credits and other incentives for encouraging people to stay in the North as compared to flying to the south.
Certainly in the last year, we have seen a very healthy trend, even setting aside the big corporate windfall we received. There is still a healthy trend going on.
I think, as I mentioned a couple of days ago in my meeting with Paul Martin, it all looks positive. The development that is taking place is real and it is positive on the diamond mining side, on the oil and gas side, and hydro potential. So I think we have a pretty optimistic economic future in the Northwest Territories. Every indication, and I do not think we are taking undue risks, is looking good.
In answering Mr. Braden, looking at the economic indicators for the Northwest Territories, we look at a number of indicators. Final domestic demand, for example, is up. A 19.5 percent increase over last year is what we are projecting. Total investment in the Northwest Territories, we are looking at 68 percent over last year; consumer expenditures, we are looking at four percent over last year; government expenditures, 2.3 percent over last year; average weekly earnings, 2.9 percent; employment change improving by 3.1 percent; and CPI for Yellowknife, improvement by two percent.
So all of the indicators are very positive. I think it is a time where we can be fairly optimistic in terms of our investments and not be too focused on that debt wall. Thank you.