Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are addressed to the Premier. Mr. Speaker, we're all very concerned about the development that's happening in Alberta, and the rampant development in McMurray, and the fact that after seven years working together, the federal government and Alberta government have not been able to come up with any kind of cumulative impact position that would govern how they move forward, yet they continue to expand. In the North we are no better off in terms of our ability to ascertain the cumulative impact. In the Deh Cho they've put a lot of time into a land use plan, and what seems to be required for us so that we can speak clearly on this issue is regional land use plans encompassed by an umbrella territorial land use plan. I'd just like to ask the Premier whether he has thought about that issue and how he would see us moving forward on this very fundamental issue of us being able to decide, as a territory, the best way to deal with resource development and protection of the environment? Thank you.
Debates of Feb. 21st, 2007
This is page numbers 1063 - 1110 of the Hansard for the 15th 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
Question 388-15(5): Territorial Land Use Plans
Item 6: Oral Questions
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Question 388-15(5): Territorial Land Use Plans
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1073
Return To Question 388-15(5): Territorial Land Use Plans
Question 388-15(5): Territorial Land Use Plans
Item 6: Oral Questions
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![Joe Handley](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/14-joe-handley/cf8b85987210d51b87cdb98c0939c348.jpg)
Joe Handley Weledeh
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe that the first step has to be to have the regional land use plans that work for the people in those regions. We need to have that. But, Mr. Speaker, we need to also, and I agree with the Member, we need to have a territorial plan for the whole Northwest Territories that serves as a framework for all of the regional plans. We already have, I think, the basic elements, even though they're not put together into one document, of the overall framework, and certainly our approach to develop it and to protection is very much similar to the aboriginal leadership. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Return To Question 388-15(5): Territorial Land Use Plans
Question 388-15(5): Territorial Land Use Plans
Item 6: Oral Questions
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Supplementary To Question 388-15(5): Territorial Land Use Plans
Question 388-15(5): Territorial Land Use Plans
Item 6: Oral Questions
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![Michael Miltenberger](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/13-michael-miltenberger/47139ac033eb544b16722e5e01a06f8e.jpg)
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, some of the fundamental questions we have yet to ask as a territory is how much development is sustainable, how much do we need, what's in the best interest of the territory, what's the value of the resources that we look to have extracted, what's the value and benefit to the people of the Northwest Territories? Does the Premier see those types of questions as fundamental to the issues of regional land use planning? Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 388-15(5): Territorial Land Use Plans
Question 388-15(5): Territorial Land Use Plans
Item 6: Oral Questions
February 20th, 2007
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Further Return To Question 388-15(5): Territorial Land Use Plans
Question 388-15(5): Territorial Land Use Plans
Item 6: Oral Questions
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![Joe Handley](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/14-joe-handley/cf8b85987210d51b87cdb98c0939c348.jpg)
Joe Handley Weledeh
Mr. Speaker, certainly those are all good questions. But we also have to work with our neighbours, because a lot of development protection and so on affects geographical areas. So if you take the Mackenzie River basin, for example, it takes in the Yukon, B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories. We do work with them, but we need to know where they stand as well. We need to know what their development plans are. So it's bigger than just us as a territory developing our own in isolation as if we were an island on our own. I think the Member is very aware of the approach that it has to be more than us. I've certainly championed the idea of a western energy strategy, a western energy alliance and so on, as a way of dealing with these broader issues than just our territory.
Further Return To Question 388-15(5): Territorial Land Use Plans
Question 388-15(5): Territorial Land Use Plans
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1073
Supplementary To Question 388-15(5): Territorial Land Use Plans
Question 388-15(5): Territorial Land Use Plans
Item 6: Oral Questions
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![Michael Miltenberger](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/13-michael-miltenberger/47139ac033eb544b16722e5e01a06f8e.jpg)
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, could the Premier clarify a bit further how he sees those broad initiatives moving forward in the time this Assembly has left and in the meetings that he may have available with his colleagues as Premier? Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 388-15(5): Territorial Land Use Plans
Question 388-15(5): Territorial Land Use Plans
Item 6: Oral Questions
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Further Return To Question 388-15(5): Territorial Land Use Plans
Question 388-15(5): Territorial Land Use Plans
Item 6: Oral Questions
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![Joe Handley](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/14-joe-handley/cf8b85987210d51b87cdb98c0939c348.jpg)
Joe Handley Weledeh
Mr. Speaker, the biggest challenges we have on development, I think everyone would agree, are probably coming from Alberta, given the amount of development happening and the importance of what they do to the Mackenzie basin, which takes us all the way down the Mackenzie Valley to the Delta. Mr. Speaker, one of the first things that we have to do is collect better baseline information. I don't think we have the information we need and we're going to do that. Second is we have to, as part of the Mackenzie basin study, begin to work more bilaterally with Alberta than has been the case in the past, and I intend to start that as soon as I have time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Further Return To Question 388-15(5): Territorial Land Use Plans
Question 388-15(5): Territorial Land Use Plans
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1074
![The Speaker](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/14-paul-delorey/a5375803ce4145dd382736a81b5e4e7c.jpg)
The Speaker Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. Handley. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Villeneuve.
Question 389-15(5): Property Tax Arrears
Item 6: Oral Questions
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![Robert Villeneuve](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/15-robert-villeneuve/5d2aa7797cbfe035e8d9b01101b5218e.jpg)
Robert Villeneuve Tu Nedhe
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I just have a question I was going to ask that probably should go to the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, but since he's not here I think I'll ask the Minister of Finance. I guess the Minister of Finance should be working in concert with the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs to address this taxation issue, the property taxation issue of arrears that people are accumulating and continue to accumulate to this day. I just want to ask, the last time I spoke with the Minister he talked about setting up a working group to address this issue, working with the communities. I just want to ask the Minister of Finance, who probably should be involved in this working group, if any progress has been made to develop a working group, if there is a working group, and what progress is being made in this area, if any? Thank you.
Question 389-15(5): Property Tax Arrears
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1074
![The Speaker](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/14-paul-delorey/a5375803ce4145dd382736a81b5e4e7c.jpg)
The Speaker Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. I'd like to remind Members of the rules of the House; making reference to people who are not present in the House. The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Roland.
Return To Question 389-15(5): Property Tax Arrears
Question 389-15(5): Property Tax Arrears
Item 6: Oral Questions
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![Floyd Roland](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/13-floyd-roland/0b9708903b9f913ff93ddcd4599c8ba2.jpg)
Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the area of the property assessment and taxation is one that has, yes, indeed, plagued a couple of the communities in the Northwest Territories and not all taxpayers in those communities. It's been an issue that's been ongoing. We've worked with the Member for Tu Nedhe, as well as the community, trying to get a process under way. Much contact has been made between the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs in coordination with Finance. On the Finance side of it, we follow the Property Assessment and Taxation Act, which clearly sets out guidelines of informing residents of taxes due and arrears that get calculated at a percentage. It is all within the act. We follow that process on an annual basis. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Return To Question 389-15(5): Property Tax Arrears
Question 389-15(5): Property Tax Arrears
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1074
Supplementary To Question 389-15(5): Property Tax Arrears
Question 389-15(5): Property Tax Arrears
Item 6: Oral Questions
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![Robert Villeneuve](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/15-robert-villeneuve/5d2aa7797cbfe035e8d9b01101b5218e.jpg)
Robert Villeneuve Tu Nedhe
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand that there are rules that this government has to abide by, but it seems like the aboriginal governments or the aboriginal people who get these arrears aren't abiding by the acts themselves. So I guess we have to ask the question, how far do we let this go? We have property tax statements here dating back to 1991. Do we let it go another 15 or 16 years, Mr. Speaker? When can we actually sit down with these aboriginal governments, the Department of Finance, Municipal...
Supplementary To Question 389-15(5): Property Tax Arrears
Question 389-15(5): Property Tax Arrears
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1074
![The Speaker](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/14-paul-delorey/a5375803ce4145dd382736a81b5e4e7c.jpg)
The Speaker Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. I heard a question there. We will allow the Minister to answer. Mr. Roland.
Further Return To Question 389-15(5): Property Tax Arrears
Question 389-15(5): Property Tax Arrears
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1074
![Floyd Roland](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/13-floyd-roland/0b9708903b9f913ff93ddcd4599c8ba2.jpg)
Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the area of arrears is a troubling one. Again, it is not just aboriginal people in communities. That has been one of the issues from one of the communities, is the fact that aboriginal people in that community should not have to pay taxes, but quite clearly, within our act and the fact that that community is not on a reserve, the Taxation Act applies to each citizen in that community. We have aboriginal people in that community paying taxes as well. The issue is, should we act on it? We should be following our act. In fact, it should have stepped in many years ago and initiated the process that is there, and that is to recover the losses.
In municipalities where there is a taxation authority existing already, that does happen. When communities do not receive their property taxes, they put that property up for sale after giving the owner due notice. We have been trying to work with the communities. The table there has been left open. Quite clearly, the last correspondence with Minister McLeod in that area has been informing the fact that the act applies and that the GNWT does have that authority to work through that area. Of course, we hope to come up with a solution with the individual taxpayers. That is the preferable route we would like to go. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 389-15(5): Property Tax Arrears
Question 389-15(5): Property Tax Arrears
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1074
Supplementary To Question 389-15(5): Property Tax Arrears
Question 389-15(5): Property Tax Arrears
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1074
![Robert Villeneuve](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/15-robert-villeneuve/5d2aa7797cbfe035e8d9b01101b5218e.jpg)
Robert Villeneuve Tu Nedhe
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess the message is let's all get in on the act, I guess to all these residents with $20,000 outstanding. I just want to ask the Minister if he can commit to actually getting a working group established, that people with $20,000 in arrears can actually pick up the phone, phone them, set up a payment plan, a work plan that would work for them so they don't have to hang onto these letters? They are actually working with the government to try and resolve the issue. Can the Minister commit to getting some committee working group set up in the NWT so people can contact them and get this issue out of their way? Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 389-15(5): Property Tax Arrears
Question 389-15(5): Property Tax Arrears
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1074
Further Return To Question 389-15(5): Property Tax Arrears
Question 389-15(5): Property Tax Arrears
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1075
![Floyd Roland](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/13-floyd-roland/0b9708903b9f913ff93ddcd4599c8ba2.jpg)
Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, part of the assessment that goes out, the notification there, is that property owners have an opportunity to appeal the assessment that has been given through an appeal board. That is one of the processes that is available immediately. We have tried, for example, in one of the communities in Tu Nedhe, to work with them for more immediate assessment, a physical assessment. That was, again, working through the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, and myself, and the staff, and the Member, and meeting with the community leaders to set up a process. Unfortunately, that did not proceed. That option is there as well, but, gladly, I will sit down with the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs and work out a process where we can contact those in arrears and try to set up a payment plan. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 389-15(5): Property Tax Arrears
Question 389-15(5): Property Tax Arrears
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1075
![The Speaker](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/14-paul-delorey/a5375803ce4145dd382736a81b5e4e7c.jpg)
The Speaker Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. Roland. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.
Question 390-15(5): Residency Requirement Under The Mackenzie Gas Project Socio-economic Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1075
![Bill Braden](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/15-bill-braden/a08a2fe1e350a6de23ca30bc9afeebf9.jpg)
Bill Braden Great Slave
Mr. Speaker, my questions this morning are for Mr. Bell, the Minister for Industry, Tourism and Investment. It relates to the socio-economic agreement that was recently signed with the Mackenzie Valley pipeline proponents. Mr. Speaker, this agreement goes to great lengths, and so it should, to stipulate the hiring advantages that should be given to aboriginal and indigenous northerners. Mr. Speaker, there is another category identified, that of NWT resident, that I think is left out quite high and dry in this, Mr. Speaker. This is the point of my question where, in agreements with the diamond mines, we have stipulated at least some residency requirement in order to be counted. However, Mr. Speaker, the socio-economic agreement says only that...This is the definition of an NWT resident: it means any individual who makes a representation or provides evidence that in any case can be relied on by an operator or contractor. I won't get any further. The point is any individual who makes a representation can be counted as a northern resident.
Mr. Speaker, why did the government betray the interests of long-term resident northerners in signing away their advantage to get hired on ahead of just about anybody else?