Again, we do have to operate with what we have available under our authority as the
Government of the Northwest Territories, but the facts will speak for themselves. Prior to any significant reinvestment and capital projection in the Northwest Territories by the private sector, which drove up our GDP as the fastest growing jurisdiction in Canada for a number of years, the fact is that our corporate income tax has grown significantly since the business has taken part in the Northwest Territories. In fact, our personal income tax has grown through the revenue base because we have more people on the job in the Northwest Territories.
Those are facts that would speak for themselves, that there are some benefits that do accrue to the Northwest Territories. On top of that, through the aboriginal organizations and governments, they’ve signed socio-economic agreements, or IBAs, as well, that have the direct benefit that we can’t measure.
Yes, we need to get more from the development of our resources. That’s why devolution and resource revenue sharing is there and, in fact, why part of the discussion paper does highlight the fact that we can introduce new taxes in the Northwest Territories, but that would require new legislation.