This is page numbers 131 - 159 of the Hansard for the 16th Assembly, 1st 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 work.

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 79-16(1): Cost Of Living Issues
Item 7: Oral Questions

Inuvik Boot Lake

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Premier

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the area of cost of living is one that is important and affects communities in quite a number of ways through power generation, goods and services, and the high cost of housing. There are a whole number of areas that other departments do fall into. Part of their responsibility as we proceed, how they would address that, I am not sure if appointing a Minister responsible for that one that is across the boards. What I would offer up is a solution in the sense of Cabinet working together and a number of Ministers who may have more responsibility in those areas to sit down together and look at this initiative. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Beaulieu.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Premier then develop a mandate for Cabinet to report, and report the mandate on the cost of living back to this Assembly?

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Mr. Roland.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the problems we find is we have to look at some of the avenues that have been used by previous governments and if they’ve actually produced a result. Our goal would be how can we deal with this. Right now each department would have to come forward and make the reports to committee at business plan stages as well as in this forum. We can work as a Cabinet to look at a number of initiatives that may help in the long term, or try to find some short-term solutions. A lot of the problems we find, and as the Member has raised, is the cost of living, for example, in the food area. How do we impact that as a government when the private sector is providing that? There are some avenues that we can look at, but

that’s more longer term as the cost of energy and doing business. So that’s something that we can work on. Developing a mandate and going forward may be more problematic as it would cover quite a broad spectrum in a number of departments. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Beaulieu.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Premier consider putting the cost of living as a standing item on the Cabinet’s agenda?

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Mr. Roland.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d be willing to look at doing that as we do from time to time. For example, if the Assembly highlights energy as a key piece -- we used to have that -- we can look at doing something of that nature, as well. As I said, I’m prepared to work as a committee, subcommittee structure to Cabinet on this issue, as well. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final supplementary, Mr. Beaulieu.

Supplementary To Question 79-16(1): Cost Of Living Issues
Item 7: Oral Questions

November 29th, 2007

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Premier also provide, should it become a standing item in Cabinet, can the Premier commit to providing regular updates to the Standing Committee on Social Programs on the cost of living? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Mr. Roland.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we have done in the past, or the process that we can use going forward is, for example, around the business plan areas, having a number of Ministers present to the committees. The Social Programs committee can be one of those when we talk about this initiative that affects a number of departments and look at doing in that area, as well if there’s a request from any committee of any initiative that we would line up the appropriate Ministers or myself, as Premier, to make presentations with committees. So we’d be prepared to work out an arrangement. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the area of agriculture has a tremendous potential in the Northwest Territories. Sometimes people don’t think it does and I’m not sure why, because actually we’ve gone backwards in the area of agriculture. Many

years ago a lot of the produce that was grown around Fort Simpson, Fort Providence, Hay River was actually shipped down the Mackenzie to a lot of other communities and it was quite a thriving activity and endeavour. Many years ago, and it seems like we’ve gone backwards since then. I’m not sure why, but I can’t really say there’s been a tremendous amount of support for this industry from this government. I don’t understand why, because the potential is there; the people who are interested in it are there. We have been trying to get an agriculture policy from this government for the past 12 years. The first request came in 1995. I’d like to ask the new Minister for ITI if he can see any reason why we should not be able to develop and adopt a comprehensive agriculture policy for the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think, as one of your constituents has said previously, we don’t see agriculture as being a dirty four letter word. I’ve always been a supporter of agriculture. In the small communities there has always been agriculture and it’s one way to reduce import replacement. Everybody needs food and if you can grow your own food, it’s something that will help reduce the cost of living. Over the years, this government has undertaken a number of initiatives to support agriculture and as we go through our priority setting exercise, I would hope that we would be able to advance agriculture. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod.

Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in order to advance agriculture, I think we need an agriculture policy. That’s something that has been wanted by the folks from the Territorial Farmers’ Association for, like I said, a number of years now. Is there any reason why we cannot, within the life of this government, or even sooner, develop such a policy to encourage this activity? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. McLeod.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have been working in the past with the Territorial Farmers’ Association on a number of initiatives. We have been successful in working with them to negotiate a framework agreement with the federal government which has resulted in funding for agri-food policy. In order to have an agricultural policy that would be effective, there would be a requirement to identify some access to land, and I know the Member has heard that on many occasions. We have identified ways that it could be done whereby we could work with MACA to identify land and move towards lower taxation areas. These are some of the things, the challenges that we would have to deal with, but certainly

we can begin to start working on a policy for the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod.

Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I realize that access to new land for agriculture is an issue, but there are many people who already do have considerable sized parcels of land for agriculture. However, this government does not recognize a means under our Property Assessment and Taxation Act for there to be a dual use for an assessment on that property. For example, if somebody lives on 40 acres, which is quite possible around Hay River, and they have a house on one acre, they’re going to get taxed for residential rates on the whole parcel of land. We need some small revisions like that that could actually entice people to get involved in this industry. Will the Minister consider speaking to his colleague in MACA about a change to the Property Assessment and Taxation Act to allow more affordable tax assessment for agricultural land in the North? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. McLeod.