Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Unfortunately, as of this date, we have not determined the process we are going to use. However, our intention is still to defer the harmonization policy until our projected date of October 1, 2002. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Debates of March 8th, 2002
This is page numbers 479 - 506 of the Hansard for the 14th 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.
Topics
Return To Question 177-14(5): Status Of Harmonization Plan
Question 177-14(5): Status Of Harmonization Plan
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 489
Return To Question 177-14(5): Status Of Harmonization Plan
Question 177-14(5): Status Of Harmonization Plan
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 489
Supplementary To Question 177-14(5): Status Of Harmonization Plan
Question 177-14(5): Status Of Harmonization Plan
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 489
Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Is that the intention for delaying implementation? May we have some more detail on that? Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 177-14(5): Status Of Harmonization Plan
Question 177-14(5): Status Of Harmonization Plan
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 489
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Allen.
Further Return To Question 177-14(5): Status Of Harmonization Plan
Question 177-14(5): Status Of Harmonization Plan
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 489
Roger Allen Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The problem with the current document is the fact that we had evaluated and acknowledged the problems with the implementation. We are still trying to work out some of the details on how we want to proceed further with this document. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Further Return To Question 177-14(5): Status Of Harmonization Plan
Question 177-14(5): Status Of Harmonization Plan
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 489
Supplementary To Question 177-14(5): Status Of Harmonization Plan
Question 177-14(5): Status Of Harmonization Plan
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 489
Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister inform us as to when a decision would be made on this issue? Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 177-14(5): Status Of Harmonization Plan
Question 177-14(5): Status Of Harmonization Plan
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 489
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Allen.
Further Return To Question 177-14(5): Status Of Harmonization Plan
Question 177-14(5): Status Of Harmonization Plan
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 489
Roger Allen Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have been assured by my department staff that the document is en route to myself for final review. As soon as that is done, I am prepared to share some of our pre-conceptual ideas on how we want to implement this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Further Return To Question 177-14(5): Status Of Harmonization Plan
Question 177-14(5): Status Of Harmonization Plan
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 489
Supplementary To Question 177-14(5): Status Of Harmonization Plan
Question 177-14(5): Status Of Harmonization Plan
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 489
Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When the Minister has that, will he be scheduling a formal meeting with committees, passing that information on to Members or coming through this House? Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 177-14(5): Status Of Harmonization Plan
Question 177-14(5): Status Of Harmonization Plan
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 489
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Allen.
Further Return To Question 177-14(5): Status Of Harmonization Plan
Question 177-14(5): Status Of Harmonization Plan
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 489
Roger Allen Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand that I will be sharing this document with my Cabinet colleagues and from there, we will decide and determine the proper procedures and how we want to communicate this back to the Members. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Further Return To Question 177-14(5): Status Of Harmonization Plan
Question 177-14(5): Status Of Harmonization Plan
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 489
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.
Question 178-14(5): Treaty 8 Federal Court Tax Ruling
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 489
Bill Braden Great Slave
Mr. Speaker, thank you. My question this morning is for the Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs, Mr. Antoine. I would appreciate if the Minister could give the House some comment or background on the consequences of yesterday's landmark ruling in the federal court regarding the tax status of Treaty 8 people. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 178-14(5): Treaty 8 Federal Court Tax Ruling
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 490
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister responsible for the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs, Mr. Antoine.
Return To Question 178-14(5): Treaty 8 Federal Court Tax Ruling
Question 178-14(5): Treaty 8 Federal Court Tax Ruling
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 490
Jim Antoine Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do not have anything official from our government yet. There was a court decision that was handed down yesterday in Edmonton, where a federal court judge has ruled that northern Alberta natives are exempt from a wide range of taxes as a result of verbal promises made during their treaty negotiations about 103 years ago.
The only thing I am reading from is from the newspaper, the Canadian press. I have as much information as Members of the House from the newspapers. I have asked the appropriate Minister of Justice to provide me with some legal review of the decision and get back to us on the consequences. Thank you.
Return To Question 178-14(5): Treaty 8 Federal Court Tax Ruling
Question 178-14(5): Treaty 8 Federal Court Tax Ruling
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 490
Supplementary To Question 178-14(5): Treaty 8 Federal Court Tax Ruling
Question 178-14(5): Treaty 8 Federal Court Tax Ruling
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 490
Bill Braden Great Slave
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I realize it is early days, but I will continue the line of questioning for the Minister. The consequences of this kind of thing are, financially, potentially significant. I am wondering if the Minister has any information regarding the potential impact of Treaty 8 recipients not paying tax on revenues and the cash flow for the Government of the Northwest Territories. Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 178-14(5): Treaty 8 Federal Court Tax Ruling
Question 178-14(5): Treaty 8 Federal Court Tax Ruling
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 490
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister responsible for the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs, Mr. Antoine.
Further Return To Question 178-14(5): Treaty 8 Federal Court Tax Ruling
Question 178-14(5): Treaty 8 Federal Court Tax Ruling
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 490
Jim Antoine Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am sure there are going to be some tax implications for people who are under Treaty 8, who are here in the Northwest Territories. The exact implication of this court ruling on behalf of these people is unknown to us at this point in time. We still have to look at the court documents and assess what remains and look at where we are.
I have to work with my colleagues in Cabinet to do that, so I do not have that information at this point in time. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 178-14(5): Treaty 8 Federal Court Tax Ruling
Question 178-14(5): Treaty 8 Federal Court Tax Ruling
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 490
Supplementary To Question 178-14(5): Treaty 8 Federal Court Tax Ruling
Question 178-14(5): Treaty 8 Federal Court Tax Ruling
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 490
Bill Braden Great Slave
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could the Minister advise whether there are other treaty agreements in the NWT that may take a lead from this and that may see this landmark tax ruling extended to other First Nations groups in the NWT? Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 178-14(5): Treaty 8 Federal Court Tax Ruling
Question 178-14(5): Treaty 8 Federal Court Tax Ruling
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 490
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Braden. I will exercise a bit of caution on that question. It may not be quite in the Minister's domain to know all of that, but I will allow the Minister to respond if he chooses. Mr. Antoine.
Further Return To Question 178-14(5): Treaty 8 Federal Court Tax Ruling
Question 178-14(5): Treaty 8 Federal Court Tax Ruling
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 490
Jim Antoine Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, besides Treaty 8 in the Northwest Territories, we have Treaty 11. Those are the only two treaties that we have. However, the wording of the treaties is different from each other. At this point in time, whether Treaty 11 will enjoy the same benefits as a result of the court hearing is unknown. It is speculation at this point in time. Thank you.