This is page numbers 3193 – 3228 of the Hansard for the 17th Assembly, 4th 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 wildlife.

Topics

Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

Mr. Speaker, I encourage the Minister to bring those discussions within the life of the 17th Assembly. I’m looking forward to it.

Capital tax which is applied on a corporation paid-up capital is a stable revenue stream and is another form of tax that most provinces and territories levy while the NWT does not. According to the GNWT’s own analysis from the Department of Finance, a tiny 0.3 percent tax on paid-up capital of large corporations would net $12 million in annual revenues. Keep in mind that in the past 10 years, federal corporate income taxes have been reduced from 22 to 15 percent. This gap leaves a significant revenue-raising opportunity for GNWT.

Can the Minister indicate to this House why his department has refused the implementation of such a taxation model?

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, we have a model that we have developed through our Territorial Formula Financing Agreement. We’ve looked at our costs in the Northwest Territories. We have an 11.5 percent corporate tax rate. We have a 4 percent small business rate. We are in the middle of the pack in most of our taxation.

When we take over the royalty regimes, of course we are going to look at them very carefully. We are going to offer briefings to the other side of the House. We are going to offer briefings to Northerners so we fully understand how taxes are implemented, how royalties are exercised in this

territory in the different resource areas and they’re not all the same.

It is fairly complex. We want to be very thorough and measured on how we do that. In due course, in the fullness of time, we’ll have those discussions. Come April 1st , we are not charging down the road

to start raising taxes before we’ve even established ourselves in a very careful, measured way. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I must remind the Minister that we aren’t the middle of the pack when it comes to taxes. We are actually one of the lowest when it comes to royalty rates and we don’t have a mineral tax, so we don’t have anything to compare with.

If there is any doubt at all in the facts presented here today, then, clearly, would this Minister take this to the people? Will he conduct a public review of economic rent from the non-renewable resources to ensure fair capturing of public revenues? Will he seek out all forms of taxation revenues? Will he stand on the side of accountability and commit to the people this obligation within the next 128 days?

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, in fact in the last Assembly we did those roundtables and they were based on revenue generation and we did look at taxation. We did it for three cycles, if my memory serves me correctly. The consistent feedback we got from Northerners across the regions, when we brought them to Yellowknife, was that this was not a good time to raise taxes. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Time for oral questions has expired. Item 8, written questions. Item 9, returns to written questions. Item 10, replies to opening address. Item 11, petitions. Item 12, reports of standing and special committees. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 14, tabling of documents. Minister of Transportation, Mr. Ramsay.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document, entitled Northwest Territories Economic Opportunities Strategy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Miltenberger.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document, an excerpt from Mr. Robert Hawkins, MLA for Yellowknife Centre, Facebook page. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Pursuant to Section 5 of the Legislative Assembly Executive Council Act, I wish to table the Summary of Members’ Absences for the Period of May 29, 2013, to October 16, 2013.

Colleagues, pursuant to Section 40.23(2) of the Public Service Act, I wish to table the following two documents, the Annual Report of the Equal Pay Commissioner for the Northwest Territories for the Period of July 1, 2011, to June 30, 2012; the Annual Report of the Equal Pay Commissioner for the Northwest Territories for the Period of July 1, 2012, to June 30, 2013.

Item 15, notices of motion. Mr. Bromley.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Thursday, October 31, 2013, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Sahtu, that within the next 12 months, the Government of the Northwest Territories conduct a feasibility study on putting in place universal, affordable child daycare run by people trained in early childhood development and education, similar to the systems in Quebec and Scandinavia;

And further, that the Government of the Northwest Territories provide a response to this motion within 120 days. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Mr. Miltenberger.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, October 31, 2013, I will move that Bill 28, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2013-2014, be read for the first time.

Mr. Speaker, I also give notice that on Thursday, October 31, 2013, I will move that Bill 29, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 3, 2013-2014, be read for the first time. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 17, motions. Item 18, first reading of bills. Item 19, second reading of bills. Mr. Blake.

Frederick Blake Jr.

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Kam Lake, that Bill 26, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, be read for the second time.

Bill 26 modifies the allowance and expense entitlements of Members of the Legislative Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Blake. To the principle of the bill.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Question has been called. Bill 26 has had second reading.

---Carried

Mr. Blake.

Frederick Blake Jr.

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

Mr. Speaker, I seek consent to waive Rule 69(2) and have Bill 26, Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, moved into Committee of the Whole. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Bill 26 is moved into Committee of the Whole.

---Consent granted

Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Bill 3, Wildlife Act; Bill 12, An Act to Amend the Education Act; Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Protection Against Family Violence Act; Bill 18, Apology Act; Bill 19, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2013; Bill 21, An Act to Amend the Dental Profession Act; Bill 22, Territorial Emblems and Honours Act; Bill 24, An Act to Amend the Liquor Act; Committee Report 6-17(4), Report on the Review of Bill 3, Wildlife Act; Committee Report 7-17(4), Report on the Review of Bill 24, An Act to Amend the Liquor Act; Tabled Document 70-17(4), Electoral Boundaries Commission, Final Report, May 2013; and Tabled Document 107-17(4), NWT Capital Estimates 2014-2015. By the authority given to me as Speaker, by Motion 1-17(4), I hereby authorize the House to sit beyond the daily hour of adjournment to consider business before the House, with Mrs. Groenewegen in the chair.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

October 28th, 2013

The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

I’d like to call Committee of the Whole to order. There are a number of matters before Committee of the Whole today. What is the wish of the committee? Ms. Bisaro.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. We wish to consider Bill 3, Wildlife Act; and Committee Report 6-17(4), Report on the Review of Bill 3, Wildlife Act.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Is committee agreed?

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Agreed, thank you. We’ll resume with that after a brief break.

---SHORT RECESS