Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The New Deal for community governments was initially targeted for the non-tax-based communities. We had started proceeding in that area and this is a recommendation that went back to the Special Joint Committee on Non-Tax-Based Communities to provide better support to all our communities. After a lot of discussion at the Cabinet level and some studies that pointed to the situation with the larger tax-based centres, we decided to roll the tax-based communities into the whole New Deal concept and break out some of the dollars that were earmarked specifically for the small communities now was being shared by the larger communities. I think speaking of fairness, all the larger centres did very well. Fort Smith received 101 percent increase in their budgeting. Hay River received a 91 percent increase overall. Yellowknife received 63 percent. I think that's very fair. I can't see it working in a model where the smaller communities divide the money that's being cost shared across the board to a smaller pot where they can't do anything with it. Then the program wouldn't work, Mr. Speaker. So that's the reason for the 2 percent base. Thank you.
Michael McLeod on Question 10-15(6): Impacts Of New Deal Funding Formulas On Tax-based Communities
In the Legislative Assembly on March 13th, 2007. See this statement in context.
Return To Question 10-15(6): Impacts Of New Deal Funding Formulas On Tax-based Communities
Question 10-15(6): Impacts Of New Deal Funding Formulas On Tax-based Communities
Item 6: Oral Questions
March 12th, 2007
Page 19
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