Debates of March 30th, 2004

This is page numbers 455 - 502 of the Hansard for the 15th Assembly, 3rd 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 tax.

Topics

Members Present
Item 1: Prayer
Meeting With Chairs Of Education Boards
Waste Reduction And Recovery Programs
North Slave Correctional Centre Opening
Mackenzie Valley Environmental Review Board Pipeline Consultation
Gameti Spiritual Healing Workshop
Waiving Of Business Incentive Policy
Waiving Of The Business Incentive Policy
Taxation To Facilitate Spending In The North
Comments On The Business Incentive Policy
Health Care Staffing Shortages In Nunakput
The Importance Of The Business Incentive Policy
Investing In The North To Develop Capacity And Affordable Housing
Supporting The Community Involvement Of Seniors
Consistent Application Of Government Policies
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Involvement Of Hay River In The Pipeline Consultation Process
Justification For Waiving The Business Incentive Policy
Consistent Application Of Government Policy
Consultation With Northern Manufacturers
Definition Of An Elite Athlete
Vacancies In The GNWT Audit Bureau
Costs Of Waiving The Business Incentive Policy
Reclassification Of Mental Health, Drug And Alcohol Workers
Quality Housing Versus Affordable Housing
Mobile Homes Versus Stick Built Homes
Status Of Turning Point Facilities In Inuvik
Written Question 15-15(3): Implementation Of The Sahtu And Dene Metis Aboriginal Land Claims
Written Question 16-15(3): Reclamation Standards For Con Mine Leases
Return To Written Question 9-15(3): Reclamation Of Miramar Con Mine
Tabled Document 22-15(3): Report And Recommendations Of The NWT Judicial Remuneration Commission, March 2, 2004
Tabled Document 23-15(3): Labour Standards Board Annual Report For The Years April 1, 1996 To March 31, 2003
Tabled Document 24-15(3): Environmental Rights Act 2002-2003 Annual Report
Tabled Document 25-15(3): Cultural Enhancement Of The Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly Building And Grounds
Tabled Document 26-15(3): Statutory Declarations Of Residence For Those Members Seeking Reimbursement For Their Capital Accommodations
Bill 6: An Act To Amend The Payroll Tax Act, 1993 And The Income Tax Act
Bill 5: Tlicho Community Government Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
To Amend Clause 2 Of Bill 2
Item 20: Report Of Committee Of The Whole
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, 2004-2005
Item 22: Orders Of The Day

Committee Motion 15-15(3): To Amend Clause 2 Of Bill 2, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 496

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

That is all. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Committee Motion 15-15(3): To Amend Clause 2 Of Bill 2, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 496

The Chair

The Chair Calvin Pokiak

Labour relations and compensation services, special warrants, $233,000.

Committee Motion 15-15(3): To Amend Clause 2 Of Bill 2, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 496

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Committee Motion 15-15(3): To Amend Clause 2 Of Bill 2, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 496

The Chair

The Chair Calvin Pokiak

Not previously authorized, $100,000.

Committee Motion 15-15(3): To Amend Clause 2 Of Bill 2, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 496

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Committee Motion 15-15(3): To Amend Clause 2 Of Bill 2, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 496

The Chair

The Chair Calvin Pokiak

Government accounting, not previously authorized, $554,000.

Committee Motion 15-15(3): To Amend Clause 2 Of Bill 2, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 496

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Committee Motion 15-15(3): To Amend Clause 2 Of Bill 2, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 496

The Chair

The Chair Calvin Pokiak

Mr. Braden.

Committee Motion 15-15(3): To Amend Clause 2 Of Bill 2, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 496

Bill Braden

Bill Braden Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. With this additional half a million dollars, what does this bring the total cost of the power subsidy program to for this fiscal year? Thank you.

Committee Motion 15-15(3): To Amend Clause 2 Of Bill 2, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 496

The Chair

The Chair Calvin Pokiak

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Minister.

Committee Motion 15-15(3): To Amend Clause 2 Of Bill 2, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 496

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We are estimating for 2004-05, $7.694 million.

Committee Motion 15-15(3): To Amend Clause 2 Of Bill 2, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 496

The Chair

The Chair Calvin Pokiak

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Braden.

Committee Motion 15-15(3): To Amend Clause 2 Of Bill 2, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 496

Bill Braden

Bill Braden Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am just trying to do the math quickly here. It looks like about 15 percent. Are we adding about 15 percent to the previous estimate?

Committee Motion 15-15(3): To Amend Clause 2 Of Bill 2, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 496

The Chair

The Chair Calvin Pokiak

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Minister.

Committee Motion 15-15(3): To Amend Clause 2 Of Bill 2, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 496

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the previous estimate was approximately $7.2 million, so we are probably more in the area of around eight percent of an increase. Thank you.

Committee Motion 15-15(3): To Amend Clause 2 Of Bill 2, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 496

The Chair

The Chair Calvin Pokiak

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Braden.

Committee Motion 15-15(3): To Amend Clause 2 Of Bill 2, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 496

Bill Braden

Bill Braden Great Slave

Alright, thank you, Mr. Chairman. Obviously I am here and Mr. Voytilla is there doing the math. The rate at which this subsidy is increasing has been a concern of mine for some time, and I think in the course of the budget that we just passed we asked the government to come back with ways to help stabilize, look at options to how we can stabilize the cost of this program. It is a good program, but we need to be careful how we manage it. I won't dwell on that anymore, we will be dealing with that hopefully in the very near future.

I would like to ask for the coming year are we anticipating that the cost of this program is going to be more or less stable? Are we looking at 7.7 for the coming fiscal year, or was this a spike or a blip in the forecast? Thank you.

Committee Motion 15-15(3): To Amend Clause 2 Of Bill 2, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 496

The Chair

The Chair Calvin Pokiak

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Minister.

Committee Motion 15-15(3): To Amend Clause 2 Of Bill 2, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 496

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the draft main estimates that we have just dealt with identifies approximately $8.1 million as the total figure we are counting on. The bulk of those increases that we have been dealing with are based on the rate increases that have come across the board. So we are hoping now that we have come across those and those increases have now been put in the system to be fairly stable. Again, there are a number of factors that would come into play depending on the number of customers that would come in, new customers coming to it and the usage of power. The majority of the bulk of the increase we have seen recently is a direct result of rate increases. Thank you.

Committee Motion 15-15(3): To Amend Clause 2 Of Bill 2, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 496

The Chair

The Chair Calvin Pokiak

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Braden.

Committee Motion 15-15(3): To Amend Clause 2 Of Bill 2, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 496

Bill Braden

Bill Braden Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That is fine, that is all. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Committee Motion 15-15(3): To Amend Clause 2 Of Bill 2, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 496

The Chair

The Chair Calvin Pokiak

Government accounting, not previously authorized, $554,000.

Committee Motion 15-15(3): To Amend Clause 2 Of Bill 2, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 496

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Committee Motion 15-15(3): To Amend Clause 2 Of Bill 2, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 496

The Chair

The Chair Calvin Pokiak

Budgeting and evaluation, not previously authorized, $134,000.

Committee Motion 15-15(3): To Amend Clause 2 Of Bill 2, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 496

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.